MIRI: A group of five foreigners known as ‘Geng Rantau’ were arrested by the police in less than three hours after committing an armed robbery using machetes at a double-storey bungalow at Tanjong Lobang here early yesterday morning.
The five Indonesian suspects, aged between 40 and 50, were detained by a team from the Criminal Investigation Department (JSJ) District Police Headquarters in a rental room at Jalan Rice Mill at about 4.30am.
It is learned that the group had broken into the house through the kitchen window before taking valuable items estimated to be more than RM70,000.
District Police Chief, Assistant Commissioner Lim Meng Seah, said that the arrest was made with public information and intelligence after the police received a report on the incident at about 2.30am.
“In the incident, a group of men armed with machetes broke into the residence and tied the hands and feet of the house residents which was occupied by three family members.
“The suspects then ransacked the house before escaping with several valuables items including jewellery, cash, mobile phones and important documents,” he disclosed.
Lim revealed that the residents of the house did not sustain any injury due to the incident.
The police also seized several suspected robbery items as well as two machetes and a motorcycle which was believed to have been used by the suspects in committing crime.
“The police believed that with the arrest of these five suspects, we will be able to solve several cases of high-profile house break-ins by using the same modus operandi around Miri including one case reported at Hillstone Park in October last year,” said Lim.
All suspects are being detained at the Miri Central Police Station for further investigation under the Section 395/397 of the Penal Code.
In the meantime, Lim also urged the public to continue to cooperate with the police in the fight against criminal activities in the city.
