Mawar Gang busted, four including teen arrested

KEPALA BATAS: Penang police have busted the 'Mawar Gang' who is believed to be involved in at least 16 house break-in cases, after arresting four individuals including a Form Four student in Bertam Perdana here, on Sept 28.

Seberang Perai Utara (SPU) district police chief ACP Mohd Radzi Ahmad said three suspects were nabbed at a house in the area at 3.40 am.

"During the arrest, the three men had just broken into a house in the area. On Sept 30, police arrested the girlfriend of one of the suspects in Bedong, Kedah, believed to be linked to the gang," he told a press conference today.

He said that based on the initial investigation, the four individuals aged 16 to 37 were suspected to be involved in house break-ins and theft cases around SPU and Sungai Petani, Kedah, since February last year.

Elaborating, he said the gang would observe the residential areas in the SPU district, especially Bertam Perdana, Perda Indah, Kubang Menerong and Tasek Gelugor, for several days to identify which homes were empty before breaking in through the back door.

Mohd Radzi said the gang lived in Sungai Petani and would go to SPU to commit the crime. They would then keep the stolen items at the house of the 37-year-old gang leader.

"The female suspect would sell all the stolen jewellery at pawn shops. We believe that we have solved at least 16 cases in SPU, involving losses amounting to RM250,000," he said.

Police also confiscated various branded bags, televisions, shoes, mobile phones, laptops, jewellery, foreign currency and cash worth tens of thousands of ringgit, and tools for carrying out the crime.

Mohd Radzi said all the suspects, who have previous drugs and criminal records, have been remanded until Oct 11 to assist in the investigation under Section 457 of the Penal Code.

-- BERNAMA