Duo steal rings worth RM1.5m
New Straits Times – 1 hour 0 minutes ago
KUALA LUMPUR: A gang that targets high-end jewellery boutiques in the Golden Triangle has struck again — this time, a RM280,000 emerald ring at a showroom of a five-star hotel went missing on Thursday.
The theft was believed to have occurred an hour after a RM1.2 million diamond ring went missing from an exclusive jewellery boutique in Starhill Gallery, Bukit Bintang, at 11.30am.
In the 12.29pm incident, two men, believed to be Taiwanese nationals, entered the outlet on the pretext of buying the ring.
Dang Wangi police chief Senior Assistant Commissioner Zainuddin Ahmad said one of the suspects bargained with a worker to reduce the price of the ring.
“The worker went into a room to see the manager, who agreed to reduce RM60,000 from the original price to RM220,000.”
He said the suspect, however, told the worker that he did not have enough money to pay and asked her for directions to the nearest automated teller machine (ATM).
“The suspect handed over the ring to the salesgirl, who put it back into a box inside the showcase. While the salesgirl was busy giving direction to the ATM to the suspect, his accomplice sneaked behind the counter and stole the ring.”
Zainuddin said the worker only realised the ring was missing from the box after the duo left the boutique.
“We believe the men are the same suspects who stole a diamond ring from another outlet an hour earlier, based on descriptions given by the sales personnel and the manager.”
He said two men walked into a boutique at Starhill Gallery at 11.30am, pretending to be looking for a ring.
“They requested to see the rings and the sales executive lined up 19 rings on a tray for them. After five minutes of browsing, one of the men said they would return at 3pm to buy a ring. The sales executive only realised that the RM1.2 million diamond ring was missing after they left the store.”
