BEWARE, robbers now preying on early morning diners

Criminals are preying on diners at eateries and are making it unsafe for the public to eat out in the early hours of the morning.

Gangs of eight and 10 men armed with iron pipes and parangs robbed diners at five restaurants in the Klang Valley recently.

Police have received four reports on such cases in Kuala Lumpur and another in Petaling Jaya in the past two weeks.

Investigators learnt that the gang of robbers, who have been active for over two months, preyed on those who patronised restaurants between 1am and 5am.

Although no casualties have been reported in these cases, witnesses told police the robbers were aggressive and intimidating.

In the most recent case on Sunday at Taman Bahtera, Cheras, four friends who were at a restaurant at 4.30am were relieved of their mobile phones and cash by a gang of seven men who arrived in two cars and armed with parangs.

Cheras police chief ACP Mohan Singh Tara Singh said the robbers also took RM1,300 from the restaurant owner after forcing him to open the cash register.

On Friday, robbers struck another restaurant at Taman Mutiara, Cheras, where they were said to have held up about three dozen diners at 2am.

The robbers took cash and valuables before escaping.

The robbers were said to be using a car that was reportedly stolen just hours earlier in Kepong.

However, Mohan Singh said police only received two reports from two men who lost their handphones and RM800 to these robbers.

"We are in the midst of gathering information and tracking down the suspects. We urged those with information to come forward and assist us in our probe," he said.