Farhan (middle) showing the stolen items seized from the theft syndicate.
SEMPORNA (Oct 4): Police busted a housebreaking syndicate here with the arrest of 12 men at Kg Bangau-Bangau, Kg Panji and Kg Tembok last Tuesday.
District police chief Superintendent Mohd Farhan Lee Abdullah said that police had received a burglary report from a local man on September 5.
“The 43-year-old man lodged a report at the Semporna police station at 5am after his house at Taman Semporna Centre was broken into through a window.
“The victim experienced a loss of about RM3,000 after a laptop, handphone, watch, bag, electric grinder and RM180 cash were stolen,” he said.
Police immediately set up a task force to detain the suspects.
“Intelligence and public information led to the arrest of all the suspects comprising of seven locals and five foreigners between 17 and 53 years old.
“Police also seized 19 items believed to be stolen by the syndicate in the district,” he said in a statement on Monday.
Mohd Farhan said that the case was being investigated under Section 457 of the Penal Code for housebreaking and Section 411 of the Penal Code for keeping stolen items.
“All the suspects are remanded until October 6 for further investigation,” he said.
Farhan also said that with the arrests, they believe at least 12 housebreaking cases involving losses of RM20,000 in the district have been solved.
“The police would like to thank the public for their cooperation and for channeling the information which led to the arrest of all suspects,” he said.
He also advised the public against buying goods with unknown status as they might be stolen items.