Two policemen showing the photograph of the escape detainees to villager Hasnah Hamzah, 54, during their rounds at Kampung Tun Sardon in Tasek Gelugor

KEPALA BATAS: Two of the remaining five escaped detainees still at large were spotted near a village in Tasek Gelugor early Friday.

Penang police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Abdul Rahim Hanafi said the two were spotted at about 6.40am and had approached some villagers for food, cigarettes and money.

"We are confident of recapturing all five of them soon and there are over 270 police personnel conducting the search.

"Police also have new leads to show that the five are currently split into two groups," he said at the Tasek Gelugor temporary police station here.

He declined to reveal the name of the village and the suspects' identity.

The search areas have also been extended to Sungai Petani, Kulim and Baling.

DCP Abdul Rahim said police were certain the suspects have changed their clothes to long sleeves to hide their identities.

"Police are not sure whether they have any weapons on them but they are definitely on foot," he said.

He also reminded the public against harbouring them, saying they could be charged under Section 216 of the Penal Code for doing so.

The remaining five fugitives are Hissham Abdul Rahman, 39, Mohd Sharimy Nor, 28, Mohd Khairulnizam Abdul Rani, 26, Hamzani Abdul Rahman, 37, and Farid Akhtar whose age is not known.

They were among seven detainees who escaped in a police van at the Butterworth Outer Ring Road after throwing curry powder or instant noodle seasoning to temporarily blind their guards.

Two suspects, Mohd Fairus Adam, 31, and his sidekick Mohd Noor Ahmad Mustafa, 28, nicknamed "Joe Mafia" and "Boy" respectively, were shot dead by police on Thursday at Kampung Padang Ibu in Penanti at about 1pm after a short car chase.

They were first spotted in a car at about 12.30pm in Kubang Semang and police tried to stop them 15 minutes later.

The suspects then tried to crash into the police car and sped off towards towards the village.

A short chase ensued, causing the suspects' car to skid and fall into an irrigation canal.

It was reported that Mohd Fairus had first fired shots that hit the police car.

Police returned fire and killed both men.

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