KLCC, Bukit Bintang, Pasar Seni now KL's top 3 snatch theft hotspots

KUALA LUMPUR: A whopping 365 snatch theft cases were reported in the Dang Wangi district last month.

In particular, tourist-friendly areas such as the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC), Bukit Bintang and Pasar Seni have become the top three snatch theft hotspots in the city.

Dang Wangi Police chief ACP Zainol Samah said the situation in the district has shown no improvement in terms of snatch theft cases.

“In January, we recorded 365 snatch theft cases in the district. The figure corresponds with the same period last year,” he said.

He said KLCC vicinity, Bukit Bintang and Pasar Seni are now the three snatch theft hotspots.

“We receive around seven to eight police reports daily on snatch thefts in these areas,” he said, urging foreign tourists to be more cautious and keep their eyes on their belongings when walking around the city.

On a related development, police arrested four teenagers including three college students in connection with snatch thefts targeting foreign tourists around KLCC.

The teenagers, all 19, from Pantai Dalam were nabbed at two different locations in Jalan Bukit Bintang and Jalan Changkat last Thursday.

Zainol said based a police report lodged by a Korean tourist, police launched a manhunt to find the individuals who were involved in the 6pm robbery.

“According to the police report, the robbers on a motorcycle approached the Korean tourist and tried to snatch her handbag.

“A struggle ensued which led to the robbers falling from the bike.

“The men abandoned their motorcycle and fled on foot. The tourist suffered bruises on her left arm,” he told a press conference today.

Zainol said several hours later, police picked up two teenagers in Jalan Nagasari at 7.20pm.

“Further checks on the two teenagers revealed that they had received text messages and made a call to the first two teens who had tried to rob the Korean tourist.

“Apparently, four of them were gang members. The first two teens had placed a call to their two friends to pick them up in Jalan Bukit Bintang after they had abandoned their motorcycle,” he said, adding that three of them tested positive for drugs.