SUV robbery foiled: One held, armed suspect still at large

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The suspect on receiving end of ‘street justice’ before police arrived.

KUCHING: A suspect in an armed robbery of a Toyota Hilux was yesterday detained by police, but another, believed to be armed with a pistol, was still at large as at press-time yesterday.

Kuching police chief ASP Roslan Bek Ahmad, who confirmed the case yesterday, said a police team from D9 chanced upon two men smashing the vehicle’s window when patrolling around the area around 11am.

“There was a short chase and scuffle between the thieves and police. The suspect later took out a pistol but (had) its magazine pulled out,” he said.

Roslan added that the suspect still at large fled on a motorbike he stole from a house in the nearby residential area.

He also disclosed that a total of 21 bullets from the two pistol magazines was found at the scene.

The suspect who was detained will be remanded to facilitate police investigation.

Meanwhile, also present at the scene was Kuching Criminal Investigation Department chief DSP Lim Bak Phai with the state forensic unit to comb the area for evidence.

An operation mounted to track down the suspect also included the state K9 tracker service.

Police were learnt to have gone to the house of the suspect still at large in a village in Petra Jaya and also found a motorbike believed to have been reported stolen too.

The Toyota Hilux owner when met at the scene said only his kid’s school bag was missing from his vehicle.

He said he discovered the incident after hearing a commotion from the back of his office where he parked his car and went down to check. He did not disclose further details.

It was also learnt that members of the public helped police to apprehend the one suspect, who was arrested after receiving ‘street justice’ before being handed to the law.