Police detain man, solve 10 public pool theft cases

Putrajaya district police chief ACP Rosly Hassan said the suspect, aged 39, was picked up in a raid, dubbed 'Ops Loker', at his house in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan about 1.10am.

He said the raid came following a police report lodged by a couple who lost about RM23,000 in cash and other valuable items from a locker at a public swimming pool in Precinct 5 here last Tuesday.

"The suspect was tracked down after the transactions of credit cards, belonging to the victims, showed that the cards had been used to purchase five mobile phones.

"The man is believed to have purchased the items to be sold to middlemen in order to get cash to buy drugs," Rosly told a press conference here on Tuesday.

He said police also found stolen items belonging to the couple and other victims including wallets, MyKads, credit cards, a digital tablet and four mobile phones believed to have been bought using the couple's credit cards, at the house.

Rosly said the other mobile phone was sold to a buyer from Sarawak, while checks on the MyKads revealed that the documents had been reported lost by the owners in Sungai Nibong, Penang; Ayer Keroh, Melaka; Bandar Sunway, Selangor and Kuala Lumpur.

"The modus operandi of the married man was to work alone and target the victims who placed their items in the lockers before he forced them open while the victims were swimming," he said, adding that the suspect had confessed to committing 10 such cases this year.

Rosly said the suspect, who was tested positive for ketamine, had two criminal records for cheating and drug-related offence.

The case is being investigated under Section 380 of the Penal Code.