AMPANG: Four foreigners, including a woman, were detained in connection with stealing almost RM400,000 cash following a bogus gold purchase transaction.
Selangor police chief Comm Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said the 45-year-old victim, who is an engineer, was driven to Jalan Sulaiman 1 in Ampang by a man on the pretext of concluding a transaction to purchase gold at about 4.20pm on June 24.
"The other man claimed to want to finalise the transaction at his office at Jalan Sulaiman 1, so the victim brought along a bag filled with RM360,966.
"Upon arrival, the man insisted the victim count the cash in the backseat of the car," he said in a statement on Wednesday (July 3).
However, when the victim moved to the backseat, the man took the bag of cash and fled in another car, he said.
"The victim could not exit the vehicle as it was locked. He only escaped via the car's window," he added.
Comm Hussein said upon investigation, police managed to detain three foreign men and a foreign woman, aged 24 to 37, near TRX and Jalan Razak Mansion in Kuala Lumpur between 8.40pm on June 28 and 11.15am the next day.
"We seized various items, including RM28,300 cash, two cars, six mobile phones, a laptop, six bank cards and three bags.
"The suspects have been remanded for further investigation.
"We believe their modus operandi is to dupe the victims by promising to sell gold but will abscond with the victim's cash during a transaction," he said.
The case is classified under Section 379 of the Penal Code.