Perak police shot dead a suspect who was high on the wanted list for series of crimes during a shootout in Tambun here early this morning.

Perak deputy police chief Datuk Hasnan Hassan said in the 12.01am incident, a Serious Crime Division (D9) team on patrol stumbled upon a suspicious looking Toyota Vios car on the main road of Tanjung Rambutan.

"Police attempted to stop the car but it sped off towards The Haven condominium before skidding onto the road shoulder. When police tried to approach the car, the suspect suddenly came out of the vehicle and fired one shot which hit the bulletproof vest of a policeman," he told a media conference at the Perak police contingent headquarters here, today.

Hasnan added the suspect fired another shot at police who responded in defence and the man was shot during the exchange of gunfire.

He said investigations found the 35-year-old man from Ipoh had nine previous cases for drugs, car thefts and house break-ins.

"The suspect was also a restricted resident in Johor two years ago and had been arrested for threatening his victim with a weapon in February this year," he said.