Robbers escaped using separate routes in New Year's Eve heist

KUALA LUMPUR: Investigation into the RM1.5 million jewellery heist at a crowded mall in Cheras on New Year's Eve found that the robbers escaped using separate routes.
City police chief Commsioner Datuk Mazlan Lazim said footage obtained from the Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) belonging to premises near the mall suggest that a total of eight suspects were involved in the robbery.
"For now, we can ascertain that those involved in the heist were all locals. There were eight of them and they fled with four motorcycles.
"Two bikes headed to the south while another pair headed to Batu Caves," he told reporters at the city police headquarters here today.
Mazlan later revealed that investigation suggest that the suspects had studied the goldsmith and areas surrounding the shop.
"They learnt that the jewellery display glasses were not equipped with shatterproof protection and that was the reason they could scoop the gold items in three minutes," he added.
Last Sunday, a group of robbers struck a crowded mall in Taman Segar, Cheras, and escaped with gold items in a heist that lasted a mere three minutes.
Stunned shoppers scurried for safety as the robbers barged into the jewellery store at about 8.30pm and held up five employees, including a security guard.
The robbers, who were armed with sledgehammers, wore full-face helmets with visors and gloves.
The robbers were said to have other accomplices standing by outside the mall on several motorcycles for their getaway.
The forensics team found several cigarette butts while combing the scene for evidence last Sunday, which may have a link to the case.