POLICE BUST BURGLARY SYNDICATE TARGETING LUXURY HOMES IN PUTRAJAYA

PUTRAJAYA, Nov 30 (Bernama) -- The police have successfully dismantled a burglary syndicate targeting luxury homes, including semi-detached houses and bungalows, in Precincts 11 and 14 here, with the arrest of three foreign nationals.

Putrajaya police chief ACP Aidi Sham Mohamed said the suspects, aged between 30 and 40, were arrested on Nov 28 at around 8.30 pm while they were in the process of ransacking a house in Precinct 14.

“The suspects are believed to have been actively involved in at least nine house burglaries over the past three months in these areas," Aidi Sham told a press conference here today.

During the raid, police saw two suspects entering the property, while the third was waiting in a Volkswagen Passat parked about 300 metres away.

The car was registered to a Chinese national, and investigations with the Immigration Department are ongoing to check if the suspects have criminal records

A struggle occurred during the arrests, but all three were successfully detained. Police seized two passports, while one suspect did not have a passport.

The arrests were part of "Operation Pintu Putra," launched on Nov 22 following a rise in house burglaries in Putrajaya. One of the incidents involved a burglary at the home of a former government official in Precinct 11 on Nov 1.

Aidi Sham said the suspects would conduct surveillance on the targeted homes, then break in between 8 pm and 10 pm when the residents were either away or out of town. The suspects would typically cut through the iron grilles at the back of the houses to gain entry.

Police recovered several burglary tools, including a metal cutter, screwdriver, crowbar, and gloves. They also seized cash, jewelry, luxury watches, and designer handbags, including items from Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Gucci, and Prada. The estimated losses from each burglary ranged from RM20,000 to RM50,000.

The suspects are being investigated under Section 457 of the Penal Code for burglary. A four-day remand order has been granted, allowing police to detain them until Dec 2 for further investigation.

This year, 26 house burglary cases have been reported in Putrajaya, compared to 17 last year, with most of the incidents involving apartment residences.

-- BERNAMA