Gunfight leaves 2 Indonesian robbers dead

They were part of a four-man gang involved in 25 robberies and burglaries in Penang since early 2015, say police.

GEORGE TOWN: Police gunned down two of four Indonesian robbers during a shootout near a Chinese cemetery at a junction in Jalan Mount Erskine here early yesterday.

The other two escaped into the bushes, not far from a Pulau Tikus house which the four had earlier broken into.

Penang police chief Abdul Ghafar Rajab said one of the deceased was identified only as Heri, an illegal immigrant, who had been living in the country for two years.

The other did not have any travel document, he said.

“The four-man gang had been active since early last year, and were involved in 25 robberies and burglaries in the state, involving several hundred thousand ringgit.

“They were also involved in criminal activities in several other states, including Selangor and were travelling between Malaysia and Indonesia via illegal routes while enjoying a wealthy lifestyle in their own country,” he told a press conference.

Abdul Ghafar said police had earlier received a report that a group of men had broken into a house in Lengkok Halia, Pulau Tikus, about 2.30am and a police team in a patrol car later spotted the group in a Proton Wira in the Pulau Tikus area about 4am.

He said police tailed the Proton Wira until the vicinity of the Chinese cemetery area before intercepting the vehicle,

“As soon as the policemen came out of the patrol car, four men bolted out of the Proton Wira before one of them fired seven shots in the direction of the policemen, with two shots hitting the rear of the patrol car,” he said.

Abdul Ghafar said the police returned fire, killing two of them and seized a semi-automatic pistol, three live bullets and a machete at the scene.

“We also found RM5,000, jewellery and mobile phones, believed to be the loot from the Pulau Tikus robbery, in a black bag as well as several tools believed to have been used to break into the house,” he said, adding that the Proton Wira was reported missing in Queensbay area, Bayan Lepas, near here in October.

– BERNAMA