PENANG COPS AMBUSH SNATCH THIEF TO END TRAIL OF 14 CASES IN KEDAH AND PENANG

GEORGE TOWN, Oct 22 (Bernama) -- A serial snatch thief, who left a trail of injured victims in his spree of robberies around the Timur Laut district here, was finally arrested in Sitiawan, Perak on Oct 12.

Penang police chief Datuk Azizee Ismail said the 39-year-old man was arrested by a team from the Special Crimes Division D9 of the Timur Laut district police headquarters in a raid on a house at 2 am.

"We also seized a motorcycle he used for his crimes. The suspect's modus operandi was to cruise around on his motorcycle and target male bikers wearing gold chains.

"We believe that with his arrest, police have solved 11 robbery cases in Penang and three cases in Kulim, Kedah. The suspect tested positive for drugs and has 14 previous records related to crimes and drugs," he said in a statement tonight.

He said the unemployed man was remanded for 10 days for investigation under 394 of the Penal Code, which is intentionally causing injury during robbery.

Meanwhile, in another development over the murder of a man whose body was stuffed in a suitcase near the Ampang Jajar Flats in Permatang Pauh on Oct 9, Azizee clarified that the four suspects held for investigation are local citizens.

He said two men and two women, all aged 24 to 42, were arrested by a team from the Penang police  contingent's Serious Crimes Investigation Division (D9) in Butterworth and Kampar, Perak, following intelligence and surveillance.

"Police also remind the public not to speculate on this case," he said.

Earlier, Bernama reported that police arrested four individuals who have been remanded for seven days for investigation under Section 302 of the Penal Code.

The suitcase victim was later identified as Lee Boon Han, 31, who was reported missing by his family on Oct 8.

-- BERNAMA