Snatch Theft (2)
Mat Dugong Held For Over 50 Snatch Thefts
JOHOR BARU: Months of using the same motorcycle and modus operandi to snatch the belongings of his victims proved to be the downfall for a notorious snatch thief known as "Mat Dugong" here on Friday.
The 25-year-old man, who used a black Kawasaki Kips, had been under police surveillance for several weeks and was believed to be linked to about 50 cases of snatch thefts in the city.
His hefty physique, which had been described by his victims in their reports, gave him the nickname Mat Dugong, after the large marine mammal.
It is learnt that the man, who had a 24-year-old accomplice, usually targeted people carrying expensive gadgets such as iPhones, Acer notebooks and DSLR cameras.
The man was arrested at a house in Kempas early Friday by a criminal investigation team from the Johor Baru (north) district police headquarters about 8.30am.
In the house, police found mobile phones, smartphones, wristwatches, wallets, cameras and portable wireless broadband devices. These were believed to have been taken from the suspect's victims.
His accomplice was later picked up at a house in Jalan Puchung, Taman Perling, the same day.
Police also seized a motorcycle believed to have been used by the duo, as well as a Proton Iswara.
Initial investigations revealed that the suspect and his accomplice had used the same modus operandi for more than six months.
Both suspects would wear overalls to give the impression that they were factory hands working in Singapore.
They would target pedestrians, mainly young people in their 20s and 30s.
Some Singaporeans had also fallen victim to the two suspects.
The duo's target areas were mainly busy roads such as Jalan Skudai and also the Taman Perling residential area.
The suspects were also believed to have snatched the belongings of other motorcycle riders.
Source: New Straits Times - October 24, 2010
Man Becomes A Victim Of Snatch Theft And Shooting
JOHOR BARU: After allegedly losing more than RM5,000 to a snatch thief, another misfortune hit the victim – he was shot twice during an argument with a security guard here.
Johor Baru South OCPD Asst Comm Zainuddin Yaacob said the incident happened at a moneychanger’s shop in Jalan Harimau Tarom at 5pm yesterday.
Relating the events that led to the shooting, ACP Zainuddin said the victim had earlier gone to the shop with his brother to exchange some cash.
However, the money totalling more than RM5,000 was allegedly lost to a snatch thief at Taman Majidee while they were on their way home.
The man reported the matter at the Majidee police station and returned to the moneychanger’s shop to try to view a closed-circuit TV footage that might show if anyone had followed him.
“The man spoke to the security guard who was reluctant to show him the footage,” said ACP Zainuddin, adding that an argument broke out between the two.
In a scuffle that followed, the guard allegedly fired two shots from his handgun, both of which hit the complainant in the waist.
ACP Zainuddin said the victim had been warded at the Sultanah Aminah Hospital while the guard had surrendered his weapon and turned himself in.
Source: The Star - Sunday, July 18, 2010
A snatch theft and robbery gang in Johor Bahru is halted with the arrests of six members between the ages of 19 and 26, who were high on the wanted list.
Johor police chief Datuk Mokhtar Shariff said the gang members were notorious and had been active in JB for the last three months before they were caught here in early February, 2011.
"Three of the six suspects also had prior convictions for vehicle theft and extortion."
The authorities also recovered stolen vehicles, computers, digital cameras, hand-phones and cash in local and Singapore currencies during a raid at a house in Skudai Kiri.
They also seized two packets of amphetamine-type stimulants from the gang, whose members were also tested positive for syabu.
In a separate case two weeks earlier, in January, police were tracking down members of another notorious robbery gang linked to at least 17 cases of wayside robberies and snatch thefts.
Its 22-year-old leader was nabbed in Jalan Meldrum and was detained under preventive laws.
Volunteer Loses Life Chronicles To Snatch Thief
JOHOR BARU: An Australian volunteer may have lost 25 years of her life chronicles as a volunteer among orphans in Timor Leste after her handbag was snatched at a shopping mall here on Tuesday.
Lala Noronha (pic), 55, who is writing about her experience after spending much of her life among orphans, lost her passport, a digital camera, three USB drives and a recording device, which she had used to dictate her experiences.
The woman said the incident happened while she was having her breakfast at a fast food outlet in City Square Johor Baru shopping mall here at 8.30am on that day.
“I was shocked when a well-dressed man who was sitting a few tables behind me suddenly snatched my handbag,” she added.
Noronha added that without her pictures and recording device, she was not sure how she could continue writing her autobiography.
“I began writing the book two years ago and it is now only 70% completed.
“I am supposed to finish writing the book and have it published by Novem-ber,” she said in between sobs.
Noronha said her autobiography would detail her life experiences in working closely with the Malaysian army and police in their peacekeeping mission in Timor Leste.
“My only hope is to retrieve my recording device and USB pen drives, which contain most of the pictures and journals chronicling my work in Timor Leste and Malaysia.
“I would like to appeal to the man responsible to return these items,” she said, adding that the he could keep the cash.
When contacted, Johor Baru (south) OCPD Asst Comm Zainuddin Yaakob confirmed the case.
Source: The Star - Sunday, January 31, 2010
Mat Dugong Held For Over 50 Snatch Thefts
JOHOR BARU: Months of using the same motorcycle and modus operandi to snatch the belongings of his victims proved to be the downfall for a notorious snatch thief known as "Mat Dugong" here on Friday.
The 25-year-old man, who used a black Kawasaki Kips, had been under police surveillance for several weeks and was believed to be linked to about 50 cases of snatch thefts in the city.
His hefty physique, which had been described by his victims in their reports, gave him the nickname Mat Dugong, after the large marine mammal.
It is learnt that the man, who had a 24-year-old accomplice, usually targeted people carrying expensive gadgets such as iPhones, Acer notebooks and DSLR cameras.
The man was arrested at a house in Kempas early Friday by a criminal investigation team from the Johor Baru (north) district police headquarters about 8.30am.
In the house, police found mobile phones, smartphones, wristwatches, wallets, cameras and portable wireless broadband devices. These were believed to have been taken from the suspect's victims.
His accomplice was later picked up at a house in Jalan Puchung, Taman Perling, the same day.
Police also seized a motorcycle believed to have been used by the duo, as well as a Proton Iswara.
Initial investigations revealed that the suspect and his accomplice had used the same modus operandi for more than six months.
Both suspects would wear overalls to give the impression that they were factory hands working in Singapore.
They would target pedestrians, mainly young people in their 20s and 30s.
Some Singaporeans had also fallen victim to the two suspects.
The duo's target areas were mainly busy roads such as Jalan Skudai and also the Taman Perling residential area.
The suspects were also believed to have snatched the belongings of other motorcycle riders.
Source: New Straits Times - October 24, 2010
******
Man Becomes A Victim Of Snatch Theft And Shooting
JOHOR BARU: After allegedly losing more than RM5,000 to a snatch thief, another misfortune hit the victim – he was shot twice during an argument with a security guard here.
Johor Baru South OCPD Asst Comm Zainuddin Yaacob said the incident happened at a moneychanger’s shop in Jalan Harimau Tarom at 5pm yesterday.
Relating the events that led to the shooting, ACP Zainuddin said the victim had earlier gone to the shop with his brother to exchange some cash.
However, the money totalling more than RM5,000 was allegedly lost to a snatch thief at Taman Majidee while they were on their way home.
The man reported the matter at the Majidee police station and returned to the moneychanger’s shop to try to view a closed-circuit TV footage that might show if anyone had followed him.
“The man spoke to the security guard who was reluctant to show him the footage,” said ACP Zainuddin, adding that an argument broke out between the two.
In a scuffle that followed, the guard allegedly fired two shots from his handgun, both of which hit the complainant in the waist.
ACP Zainuddin said the victim had been warded at the Sultanah Aminah Hospital while the guard had surrendered his weapon and turned himself in.
Source: The Star - Sunday, July 18, 2010
******
A snatch theft and robbery gang in Johor Bahru is halted with the arrests of six members between the ages of 19 and 26, who were high on the wanted list.
Johor police chief Datuk Mokhtar Shariff said the gang members were notorious and had been active in JB for the last three months before they were caught here in early February, 2011.
"Three of the six suspects also had prior convictions for vehicle theft and extortion."
The authorities also recovered stolen vehicles, computers, digital cameras, hand-phones and cash in local and Singapore currencies during a raid at a house in Skudai Kiri.
They also seized two packets of amphetamine-type stimulants from the gang, whose members were also tested positive for syabu.
In a separate case two weeks earlier, in January, police were tracking down members of another notorious robbery gang linked to at least 17 cases of wayside robberies and snatch thefts.
Its 22-year-old leader was nabbed in Jalan Meldrum and was detained under preventive laws.
******
Volunteer Loses Life Chronicles To Snatch Thief
JOHOR BARU: An Australian volunteer may have lost 25 years of her life chronicles as a volunteer among orphans in Timor Leste after her handbag was snatched at a shopping mall here on Tuesday.
The woman said the incident happened while she was having her breakfast at a fast food outlet in City Square Johor Baru shopping mall here at 8.30am on that day.
“I was shocked when a well-dressed man who was sitting a few tables behind me suddenly snatched my handbag,” she added.
Noronha added that without her pictures and recording device, she was not sure how she could continue writing her autobiography.
“I began writing the book two years ago and it is now only 70% completed.
“I am supposed to finish writing the book and have it published by Novem-ber,” she said in between sobs.
Noronha said her autobiography would detail her life experiences in working closely with the Malaysian army and police in their peacekeeping mission in Timor Leste.
“My only hope is to retrieve my recording device and USB pen drives, which contain most of the pictures and journals chronicling my work in Timor Leste and Malaysia.
“I would like to appeal to the man responsible to return these items,” she said, adding that the he could keep the cash.
When contacted, Johor Baru (south) OCPD Asst Comm Zainuddin Yaakob confirmed the case.
Source: The Star - Sunday, January 31, 2010
