14 nabbed in fracas over slow delivery of drinks at restaurant in Sungai Ara

Police arrested 14 men to facilitate investigations into the case where a restaurant owner and three workers in his restaurant at Taman Tunas Muda, Sungai Ara, near here, were robbed and beaten early yesterday.

Southwest district police deputy chief DSP Siti Nor Salawati Saad said the suspects aged 20 to 30 were arrested in different locations around Penang since yesterday and early today.

In the 2.15 am incident, the suspects came to the restaurant and suddenly assaulted the owner, his wife and their workers with helmets and chairs.

"Several customers were eating when suddenly 40 men entered the restaurant and beat the couple, aged in their 40's, and their workers.

"The suspects also robbed cash and jewellery worth more than RM15,000 belonging to the owner, before escaping," she told reporters here today.

Nor Salawati said the incident also caused injury to the husband and wife and their workers, aged 20's, although several customers in the restaurant were unhurt.

She said preliminary investigations revealed that the restaurant owner was a Thai citizen and was married to a local.

"According to the victim, he recognised some of the men who attacked his restaurant since they had earlier come to the restaurant. He also believed the incident was due to the slow delivery of the drinks they had ordered.

"The incident had caused an argument between the suspects and a restaurant worker. Before leaving the restaurant, one of them threatened the worker that he would bring his group to the restaurant to seek for revenge," he said.

Following to the report lodged by the victims, police had started an operation to hunt the culprits responsible and managed to arrest 14 suspects.

Police were still tracking down the other suspects, said Nor Salawati.