Residents help police arrest armed robbers

SKUDAI: Police with the help of residents arrested three members of a notorious armed robbery gang known as"Gang OXY" in Jalan Kempas Indah 1/8 in Taman Kempas Indah, Kempas on the first day of Chinese New Year last Monday.
The suspects aged between 24 and 28 were caught while trying to rob their victims.
Police who were alerted to the robbery arrested two of the gang members while the third escaped in the 1.50am incident.
Johor Baru North police chief ACP Taib Ahmad said the third suspect was arrested on Feb 12 about 7.30pm in Taman Nesa.
Police recovered watches, a parang, a ski mask and house breaking tools in the suspect's a car which was reported stolen from Taman Pelangi on Feb 3.
The gang earned its name "OXY Gang" due to its members using portable oxygen welding tools to break grills of unattended houses.
Taib said oxygen welding tools are used to break ATM machines but this gang uses it for house break-ins.
Following interrogation of the suspects, he added, they recovered from one of their house in Taman Bukit Tiram a home theatre system and tools used for break-ins.
The gang which has been active for three months is believed to have broken into at least 10 luxury houses in the district and neighbouring districts.
On another case, Taib said they arrested two suspects aged 19 and 24 years last Wednesday for assaulting and robbing Bangladeshi workers at knife point about 10am at their house in Taman Impian Emas.
Taib said the suspects' modus operandi was to rob Bangladeshi workers around the vicinity using a knife off their cash, mobile phones and jewellery.