Cops on look-out for gang after brazen crime spree

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KUCHING: Police are on the look-out for a gang of robbers whose modus operandi is to target women either leaving or arriving home following three such cases reported in Kuching, Padawan and Kota Samarahan on Friday.

The gang, which is thought to number three to four local males, is believed to have first stolen a Perodua Kancil car parked in front of a house at Jalan Kempas around 4am.

Around 10am the same day, they used the stolen vehicle to perpetrate a car robbery at Taman BDC, during which they used the Kancil car to block the path of a 44-year-old female teacher as she was reversing her Nissan Almera out of her house.

The robbers then forcibly pulled the teacher out of her car and sped off with her car, but had to abandon the stolen Kancil at the scene after its engine stalled.

From Taman BDC, the suspects drove the Almera to Taman Blossom in the Padawan area around 1pm where they were armed with knivesto rob a woman who was about to enter her house.

They then escaped and around 3.30pm, perpetrated a similar crime at a housing estate in Kota Samarahan before making their getaway once again using the stolen Almera.

When contacted yesterday, state CID chief SAC Dev Kumar confirmed that police were currently tracking down the suspects following their brazen crime spree.

“We are investigating four cases in total committed by the suspects, comprising one theft of vehicle and three robberies. The crimes took place in Kuching, Padawan and Kota Samarahan, with the suspects believed to be locals,” he said, adding that no arrests were made so far.

It is understood that police personnel in all three districts had been directed to focus on tracking down the suspects as well as the stolen Almera car.