KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 20 — Two men from the Ayoi Gombak Gang, suspected of being involved in almost 300 jewellery snatch theft cases since early 2018, were arrested in a raid in Gombak here in January 26.
Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Saiful Azly Kamaruddin said that during the raid police also seized, among other things, Honda FD and Toyota Vellfire vehicles worth a total of RM280,000, believed to have been purchased from the proceeds of crime, and four motorcycles believed to have been used during snatching.
“Both suspects were remanded under Section 4 (1) (a) of the Prevention of Crime Act (POCA) 1959 from Monday until March 7, and are also being investigated under Section 4 of Anti-Money Laundering, Prevention of Terrorism Financing and Proceeds from Illegal Activities Act 2001,” he said.
He said the suspects, aged 31 and 35, were targeting riders or motorcyclists who wore gold chains and bracelets and earning an income of around RM50,000 to RM60,000 per month.
“To disguise their criminal activities, one of the suspects was running a food business and another was running a vape business, where they were also believed to be using the proceeds of snatch theft to provide capital,” he said in a press conference at the Kuala Lumpur police contingent headquarters (IPK), here, yesterday.
He said that the stolen jewellery would be sold illegally to a local man known as Angah for RM190 per gram who was believed to melt the gold once he bought them.
The police were tracking down Angah, who is also known as Zul Hafiz Rosli, 36, with a last known address of Kampung Batu Muda, Batu 4 ½, Jalan Ipoh, here, and another individual known as Babie or Noorazizuddin Ahmad, 30, whose last known address is at Putra Ria Apartment, Jalan Bangsar, here, to assist in the investigation.
He also said that during 2020, Kuala Lumpur police received 321 reports of snatch theft cases, and 26 more reports were received in January this year.
In a separate case, four men – two locals, one Indian and one Myanmar national – aged between 31 and 45, were arrested on suspicion of stealing electricity for Bitcoin mining activities, in a raid at six premises in Bandar Sri Permaisuri, Cheras, here, on Wednesday.
Saiful Azly said that the activities of the syndicate, which is believed to have been operating for the past two years, resulted in Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) incurring losses amounting to RM3 million.
In another development, Saiful Azly said that the investigation paper in the case of Federal Territories Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa, who was allegedly not complying with the movement control order (MCO) standard operating procedure (SOP) in an event, had been submitted to the Attorney-General’s Chambers by Bukit Aman today.
— Bernama
