Friday February 8, 2013

Ex-cop fends off pickpocket ring

KUALA LUMPUR: A group of men were caught on camera beating up a former police officer, who had accused them of stealing his wallet on board a Cheras-bound RapidKL bus.

Sixty-year-old Tan C.P. said he was taking the bus from Kota Raya to Cheras when he felt someone trying to take his wallet.

“When I checked my wallet, the RM1,750 I had earlier withdrawn for a trip to Singapore was missing,” he said, adding that he then confronted the passenger seated beside him.

The man, he said, challenged him to do a body search.

However, Tan, who is now a businessman, claimed that when he told the passenger that he planned to take him to a nearby police station, the man attempted to disembark from the bus.

“But I grabbed the man to make him stay on board and called my ex-colleague, a policeman. I also asked the bus driver not to stop until we arrived near the station,” he said at Wisma MCA here yesterday.

Tan said when he kicked up a fuss, some passengers pointed out that his stolen money had been placed back on his seat.

<b>Wanted:</b> Tan (centre), Chong and Selangor MCA Public Services and Complaints Bureau chief Datuk Theng Book (left) holding up pictures of Tan’s attackers in Kuala Lumpur.

Wanted: Tan (centre), Chong and Selangor MCA Public Services and Complaints Bureau chief Datuk Theng Book (left) holding up pictures of Tan’s attackers in Kuala Lumpur.

When he tried to collect his money, he alleged that three men suddenly started beating him up and shouting at him for making baseless accusations, which prompted the bus driver to stop and let the attackers leave.

MCA Public Service and Complaints Depart-ment head Datuk Seri Michael Chong said such cases were becoming increasingly common, especially on buses along the Jalan Ampang and Cheras routes.

“Luckily, someone managed to film this incident so we can identify the attackers,” he said, showing reporters the video on YouTube. Chong urged the person behind the video to help with investigations.

Chong said while he had received only two complaints of such cases last year, he believed that there were many more police reports.

“We believe that these men are part of a syndicate made up of foreigners,” he said.

News

Friday February 8, 2013

Ex-cop fends off pickpocket ring