Two criminals shot dead staged three armed robberies this month: Police

KOTA KINABALU: The two criminals shot dead in Penampang Baru yesterday are believed to have been involved in three armed robberies this month, Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Jalaluddin Abdul Rahman said today.
He said the robberies took place at an electrical outlet in Penampang on Oct 6, a supermarket in Kota Kinabalu on Oct 9 and a goldsmith shop in Tuaran on Oct 16.
Jalaluddin said the two men shot dead were aged 50 and 45 and were Filipinos whom the police had been hunting for about three months.
"Based on police intelligence, we often set up roadblocks to haul up suspects of robberies and armed robberies," he told a press conference.
Asked whether the criminals had had any connection with Sulu militants and had been recruiting new members, he said the matter would be investigated.
Jalaluddin said that at about 4pm yesterday, a special task force tailed the two men, who were in a four-wheel-drive vehicle, from Kota Kinabalu towards Penampang Baru.
The police recognised the men from photographs of wanted men.
"The vehicle stopped in front of a restaurant and one policeman went to the driver's door and another policeman, to the front passenger's door.
"After the policeman at the driver's door knocked on the window and identified himself as a policeman, the policeman on the passenger's side spotted the passenger holding a pistol and shouted 'pistol'. A shootout followed," he said.
The shootout ended with the two men being shot dead.
Jalaluddin said the police seized two handphones, a wallet, a Browning pistol, a bullet and two shells.
He advised the people not to speculate on the incident, and not to easily trust the news on it in the social media. He said the situation was under control. – Bernama