BESUT: The ‘Seri Gang’ suspected of being involved in 11 house burglaries around Kuala Besut here was crippled following the arrest of three members of the gang, all of whom are hardcore drug addicts.
Besut police chief Supt Abdul Rozak Muhammad said all the men, aged 24 to 28, were arrested in a series of arrests around Kuala Besut on Sunday and yesterday.
“Police arrested the main suspect, aged 28, on Sunday (Augt 14) after receiving a report of a house burglary in Kuala Besut on the same day.
“Following the arrest of the main suspect known as Seri, police managed to arrest two more of his accomplices yesterday,“ he told reporters at the Besut District Police Headquarters (IPD) in Kampung Raja, here today.
Abdul Rozak said the initial investigation into the main suspect found that he had carried out house break-ins, theft and vehicle theft on his own at the 11 premises since January.
He added that the modus operandi of ‘Seri’ was to break into the victims’ houses by prying open a window with a screwdriver at around 1 am, irrespective of whether there were people at home or not.
“The loot would then be handed over to three of his accomplices, one of whom is still at large; to be sold,“ he said.
Abdul Rozak said, police also managed to seize various items believed to be stolen by the suspect such as laptop computers, mobile phones, a metallic object believed to be gold and a motorcycle.
He added that the three suspects have past records for drug and criminal offences and preliminary urine screening tests found them positive for methamphetamine.
All three suspects have been remanded and further investigations were ongoing, he said. - Bernama
