'Bang Chik' nabbed for alleged involvement in thefts of donation boxes in mosques, suraus

MELAKA: The police have detained a man known as 'Bang Chik' for suspected involvement in 23 cases of stealing money from the donation boxes in suraus and mosques in Melaka since January involving a loss of RM5,650.

State police chief Datuk Zainol Samah said the 33-year-old suspect was picked up in a raid on a house in Pantai Puteri here at about 12.15 am on April 1.

He said the suspect admitted to committing the offences involving 16 cases in Melaka Tengah, Alor Gajah (six cases) and Jasin (one case).

"The suspect committed the crime alone between midnight and 5 am and he also admitted to being involved in similar crime in Negeri Sembilan," he said in a statement today.

Zainol said investigations also revealed that the unemployed man used the money for daily expenses, repairing motorcycles and buying drugs.

Zainol said the suspect who was remanded until today had 19 criminal records, 13 of which were crime-related and six, drugs.

Meanwhile, he said such thefts had increased by 24 cases to 41 cases in the first three months of this year compared to 17 cases in the corresponding period last year.

"The increasing trend is worrying, therefore, the 'Op Tabung' task force has been set up to track down the suspects involved and at the same time combat the crime," he said.

-- BERNAMA