Police have busted a housebreaking gang involved in 16 cases in the state capital, Penampang, Beaufort and Papar for the past two months with losses of RM336,000.

Three suspects of ‘Geng Leleh’ including the mastermind aged between 20 and 40, were arrested in a series of raids around the state capital between Nov 6 and Nov 8.

Kota Kinabalu police chief Assistant Commissioner Mohd Zaidi Abdullah said the gang was believed involved in 16 housebreaking cases, with 12 in Kota Kinabalu, two in Penampang, and one each in Beaufort and Papar between September and October.

“The modus operandi of the gang was to linger around higher-end housing areas in a rented vehicle.

“They would then enter a targeted house, knock on the door or ring the doorbell to check if anyone was home.

“If no one answered, they would proceed to break in,” he said at a press conference at the Kota Kinabalu police headquarters here on Friday.

Zaidi said among the items taken were cash, jewellery, handphones, 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.

“Police managed to recover around RM36,000 and seized the rented car used by the gang for their criminal activities,” he said.

Zaidi said the suspects would sell the stolen items to pawn shops, middlemen, regular buyers and unsuspecting individuals for quick cash.

Following the arrest of the three suspects, police detained nine people who were pawnshop operators, shop owners, suspected buyers and an individual who helped to keep the stolen items for the suspects, to assist in investigation.

Police are tracking down a fourth suspect, identified only as Musa in his 20’s, who is at large.

The three suspects have been remanded until Nov 11 and the case is being investigated under Section 457 of the Penal Code for housebreaking.

Source:
courtesy of THE BORNEO POST

by ELTON GOMES

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