IPOH: Perak police have solved nine cases of vandalism involving arson and paint splashing across five states following the arrest of three 19-year-old men in Penang.
State police chief Comm Datuk Mohd Alwi Zainal Abidin said the three friends, comprising two college students and a storekeeper, were arrested during raids at three locations in Penang between 5pm and 9pm on Oct 22.
The raids, he said, were carried out in Tanjung Bunga, Bukit Mertajam and Machang Bubok, all in Penang.
He said police seized three cars, as well as mobile phones and clothing believed to have been worn during the incidents.
Another 19-year-old suspect is still at large.
“Investigations revealed that the trio had allegedly carried out the acts of vandalism at several locations in return for payments of between RM500 and RM1,000 for each offence from an unidentified individual.
“They communicated with the individual solely through WhatsApp,” he told a press conference at the state police contingent headquarters here Tuesday (Oct 27).
Comm Mohd Alwi added the arrests followed two reports lodged in Taiping involving arson and paint splashing incidents at residential properties on Sept 19 and Oct 10.
He said in the first case, two men allegedly splashed red paint on a house in Taman Pura Jaya, Simpang, before throwing a petrol-filled bottle that had been set alight towards the property.
The case is being investigated under Section 435 of the Penal Code for mischief by fire.
In the second incident, he said two men allegedly splashed red paint on a house that also hit a neighbour's house in Taman Sri Larut, Simpang.
The case is being investigated under Section 427 of the Penal Code for mischief.
“None of the three suspects had a previous criminal record.
“With the arrests, the Perak police contingent has solved nine cases across five states, comprising three in Kedah, two each in Perak and Johor, and one each in Penang and Selangor,” he said.
Asked if the suspects were trying to earn extra income, or maintain a luxurious lifestyle, Comm Mohd Alwi said investigations were ongoing.
“Most importantly is that we have their confessions, and there is also evidence on their phones of them committing the crimes.
“They take photographs of each act committed to forward to the individual who hired them for payment.
“We believe they have been carrying out the activities since September,” he said, adding that police were working towards identifying the mastermind behind the incidents.
Asked if the mastermind were targeting students to carry out acts of vandalism, he said police are still trying to establish this.
“They are usually recruited via Telegram or WhatsApp,” he said.
