KOTA KINABALU: A break-in gang has been busted following a two-month crime spree that resulted in losses of over RM330,000 here and in nearby districts.
Three suspects, said to belong to "Geng Lele", are in their 20s to 40s and were nabbed in the city area on Monday (Nov 6) and Wednesday (Nov 8).
Kota Kinabalu OCPD Asst Comm Zaidi Abdullah said the suspects – including the gang leader, a local man in his 20s, as well as an accomplice still at large – were believed to have been active in September and October.
“They would linger around higher-end housing areas in a rented vehicle before pretending to go up to a targeted house, knocking on the door or ringing the doorbell to check if anyone was home,” he told a press conference on Friday (Nov 10).
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If no one answered, they would proceed to break in, he added.
ACP Zaidi said in all the robberies attributed to the gang, the suspects only encountered one house owner who was still at home.
“However, the owner screamed for help and that prompted the suspects to flee the scene. They did not hurt anyone,” he said.
According to ACP Zaidi, the gang has been linked to 12 cases in the city, two in Penampang, and one each in Beaufort and Papar.
ACP Zaidi said the items taken were usually cash, jewellery, handphones and laptops as well as other items they could sell.
“From all these cases, the total losses amounted to around RM336,000 including RM40,000 cash. We managed to recover around RM36,000 and the rented car thus far,” he added.
He said the suspects would sell what they could to pawnshops, a middleman, a regular buyer and unsuspecting individuals, among others.
Following the arrest of the three suspects, he said nine others including pawnshop operators, shop owners, suspected buyers and someone who kept the stolen items on their behalf were rounded up.
“The three initial suspects are under remand until Saturday (Nov 11) while the rest would be remanded soon,” he said.
It is learnt a composite image of the fourth member of the gang, a foreigner in his 20s known as Musa, is being drawn up.
ACP Zaidi also said the three suspected gang members tested positive for drugs.
The alleged gang leader, known as Salleh, has six previous convictions: three for drug-related offences, two for robbery and one for theft, he added.
