Habibi (centre) showing items that were seized from the suspects in the robberies at four convenience stores.
KOTA KINABALU: Police have finally arrested three wanted criminals, who staged a daring armed robbery by robbing four 24/7 convenience stores within an hour here last month.
The three male suspects were arrested together with a female accomplice after they crashed into a stolen Perodua Axia car while being pursued by police in Ranau on November 22.
Kota Kinabalu Police Chief ACP Habibi Majinji said the arrests were made following information received from members of the public who spotted the suspects in Ranau several days ago.
“As police approached the suspects, they immediately fled the scene promping a police chase.
“The stolen vehicle however was involved in an accident which resulted in the arrests of the four suspects,” Habibi told a press conference at the Karamunsing Police Headquarters here yesterday.
Habibi said the suspects were hiding in Ranau following four armed robberies of four 24/7 convenience stores that were committed by three of the suspects in Telipok, Manggatal and Sapanggar between 4.25am and 5.30am on October 21.
Four machetes, stolen credit cards, ATM bank cards and false car plate numbers were confiscated from the suspects during the arrests.
Habibi said the female suspect was not involved in the armed robbery, but acted as the middle person in disposing of stolen items by selling them to unsuspected buyers.
With the arrests of the suspects, aged between 18 and 30, police believed they had solved up to 10 robbery and vehicle theft cases.
Habibi also said that two of the suspects were under the Prevention of Criminal Act 1959.
The suspects are currently being remanded to be investigated under Section 395, Section 397, Section 379 and Section 457 of the Penal Code for gang-robbery, armed-robbery, theft and housebreaking respectively.