KOTA KINABALU: Seven people, including three women, were arrested by police after they were caught on CCTV stealing numerous items from a supermarket in Menggatal.
The theft was caught by the supermarket’s CCTV, around 5pm on November 10, showing about 10 people walking into the supermarket and helping themselves with whatever items they could get and kept them inside their bags and clothings.
One of the suspects was also alleged to have threatened a security guard with what was believed to be a knife when the security guard tried to stop them.
The suspects fled from the premises in three vehicles.
Acting city police chief Deputy Superintendent Peter Umbuas said acting on the police report lodged by the supermarket’s management, police identified and arrested seven suspects, including three women aged 19 to 48, around Kota Kinabalu on November 16.
“Following the arrest, police found 90 cans of milk of numerous brands, numerous packets of processed food and some kitchen appliances worth RM8,000.
“All the items were found inside three vehicles, believed to have been used by the suspects when carrying out the theft, namely two Proton Waja cars and a Toyota RAV4 vehicle,” he told reporters at a press conference at the city police headquarters in Karamunsing here yesterday.
Umbuas said initial investigation revealed that the group was also involved in other robberies for the past three months.
“Police are still carrying out investigation to identify if there are any remaining individuals involved,” he said, adding that all the suspects were locals, except a foreign woman.
The case was being investigated into under Section 395/397 and 380 of the Penal Code, he said.