Gang responsible for 43 taxi robberies in KL busted
NEW STRAITS TIMES
KUALA LUMPUR: City police busted a gang of taxi robbers when they nabbed 14 people, including a minor, in a special operation carried out since March 25.
The gang is suspected to be responsible for 43 armed robbery cases that victimised taxi drivers and passengers in the city this year.
City police chief Datuk Amar Singh Ishar Singh said initial investigations revealed that the gang preyed on taxi drivers by robbing the cabbies of valuables and their cabs, before using the vehicles to rob unsuspecting customers.
He said there were also cases where the victims were hurt when they fought back.
"Between Jan and March alone, city police have received 43 cases where taxi drivers and passengers were robbed by a gang of robbers armed with parang and knife.
"Initial investigations revealed that the gang would send one of its members to pose as a customer, and get the taxi driver to pick up more of them at other locations.
"They would then hold the driver at knife point, before fleeing with cash, valuables and the cab," he said.
The gang members were also found to have posed as taxi drivers using the stolen vehicles, and used similar modus operandi with unsuspecting passengers.
Amar Singh said following reports received, city police formed a special task force - roping in Criminal Investigation Department detectives from city and district police headquarters, to nab the criminals.
The special operation saw 14 suspects, aged between 17 and 39, arrested in a series of raids carried out around the Klang Valley.
All of them were unemployed, while 13 were found to have a long rap sheet of past criminal and drug abuse convictions.
Police also seized five taxis, a stolen car, two parang, 13 cellular phones and Touch 'n Go cards, among others.
The suspects are being remanded to facilitate investigation under Section 395 and 397 of the Penal Code for gang robbery and armed robbery.
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