Police bust robbery gang, arrest 8 members

Police have busted a machete-wielding robbery gang active around Seberang Perai Selatan (SPS) with the arrest of eight men around Sungai Bakap, here on Sunday and Monday (Oct 4 and 5).

SPS district police chief, Supt Wan Hassan Wan Ahmad said the eight men, aged between 16 and 28, were arrested after they were involved in an attempt to rob a group of Nepalese at an employees hostel in Seruling Mas, here.

"In the 10.30 pm incident, the eight men were trying to rob 16 factory workers but failed when they (the foreigners) fought back.

"The foreigners managed to detain two of the gang members before police arrested six others around Sungai Bakap, a few hours after the incident," he said at a press conference here today.

Following the arrest of the eight men who are unemployed, police believe they have solved at least three robbery cases.

Wan Hassan said police seized four machetes, nine mobile phones, a car and three motorcycles, believed to be used by the group during a robbery.

Meanwhile, in another development, police arrested a 20-year-old man in Nibong Tebal suspected to be involved in 23 robbery, theft and burglary cases around SPS since early this year.

Wan Hassan said the man who acted alone and was armed with a knife was arrested on Wednesday and tested positive for drugs.

"Based on police investigation, the cases involving the jobless man incurred losses of more than RM100,000. Following his arrest, we seized a variety of items including knives, cell phones, identity cards, bank cards, wallets and cash," he said.