Cops conducting full probe into robbery in cargo ship

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CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION: A crane operator of the ship relates to Inspector Hairul the happenings in his ship when the armed robbery occurred.

SIBU: Sibu police chief ACP Shafie Ismail said police here had launched a full probe into the armed robbery in a cargo ship berthed at a private wharf in Ding Lik Kwong Road on Sunday.

When contacted yesterday, he said they were concerned with the violent crime in which seven crewmen were huddled into a cabin before being tied after two robbers armed with knives entered their ship while they were sleeping.

The robbers then brought in more men, and after ransacking the ship, escaped with cash amounting to RM4,000, five handphones and 12,000 litres of diesel.

“I have instructed the investigating team to record the statements of all crewmen, including the skipper. We have to get the whole picture of the crime first, and I assure we shall probe all aspects to ensure justice is done.”

Shafie confirmed they had classified the case as armed robbery.

He hoped members of the public with information on the crime would help police solve the case soonest.

According to the police, two robbers in a speed boat entered the ship berthed at 1am when the seven crewmen were asleep.

The seven were a skipper, a crane operator and five foreign workers.

The captain was sleeping in his cabin when he was awoken by sounds of struggle outside.

At first, he thought he was dreaming, but when he opened his eyes, he saw a stranger armed with a knife standing next to his bed, who then pointed a knife at him and told him not to move.

The intruder said they had come for valuables and asked the skipper to cooperate, or be harmed.

The skipper was taken to another cabin where he found all his crewmates with their hands bound, some with belts and others with ropes.

Another robber, also armed with a knife, was in the cabin.

The skipper’s hands were bound too.

One of the robbers guarded the crewmen in the cabin while another went out to bring in more robbers who had arrived in a boat.

They ransacked the ship and took the handphones, cash and diesel.

The crewmen broke free after the robbers had left.

Shafie confirmed a report had been lodged.

The police said the ship used to ply between Sibu and Kuching, transporting goods between the two towns.

Meanwhile, in another armed robbery on Saturday night, a woman cashier of a 24-hour convenient store in Ramin Way was slightly cut by a lone masked robber.

The robber failed to escape with cash from the cash register, apparently because there were customers walking in and out.

The robber fled with only the woman’s handphone.

The crime at 10.30pm occurred when the woman was attending to the store alone.

The armed robber entered to demand the woman open the cash register, but suddenly a customer walked in.

Probably to avoid suspicion, the robber took off his mask and hugged the woman, acting like he and the woman were a courting couple.

The robber then pointed his knife at the back of the woman, demanding she not shout nor attract attention.

After the customer had left, the robber asked the woman to open the cash register.

The woman pretended she did not know how to handle the cash machine which angered the robber, prompting him to poke the knife on the right side of her back, slightly cutting her.

Another customer then walked in.

The robber grabbed the woman’s handphone and left.

A police report has been lodged.

The woman received three stitches on her back for the cut.