Trader hurt in fracas with snatch thief

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KUCHING: A trader was left with a swollen eye and bodily bruises following a struggle with a snatch thief which saw her losing over RM7,000 in valuables early yesterday.

The 55-year-old victim had just exited her car upon arrival at her shop house unit at Chonglin Park, in Jalan Tabuan, when an unidentified man rushed towards her and grabbed her handbag.

A brief struggle ensued between them as the woman tried in vain to hold onto her handbag, but she ended up letting it go after she was struck and shoved to the ground by the thief.

She then watched helplessly as the perpetrator ran towards a red Perodua Kancil car and sped off from the scene.

Among the items reported stolen by the trader in the 12.30am incident included a few thousand ringgit in cash, gold jewellery, a mobile phone and some personal documents.

Police are investigating.

In an unrelated incident early yesterday, two men were lucky to escape from harm after they were attacked and pursued by three strangers.

The pair was travelling on a motorcycle back to their house at Taman Sukma in Petra Jaya when three unknown men on two motorcycles rode up beside them.

One of the victims told police that the strangers, who wore masks, suddenly whipped out a ‘kwantao’ sword and swung it at them.

Although the weapon missed, the two friends ended up crashing on the road but were able to quickly pick themselves up and sped off to another friend’s house nearby to seek refuge.

The attackers, however, chased after them and pursued them to the said house where they used the weapon to damage the exterior of the premises after failing to get inside.

After the trio left the scene, the victims emerged from the house and headed to the police station to lodge a report.