SIBU, Nov 10: Police here believe they have solved a series of house break-in and theft cases with the arrest of seven suspected members of the Sam Gang.
Speaking at a press conference here today, Sibu district police chief, ACP Stanley Jonathan Ringgit said the suspects, all locals aged between 20 to 43, were arrested on Nov 9 and 10.
“Sibu District Criminal Investigation Division today has successfully defeated the Sam Gang who are actively committing burglary, especially in Kampung Jeriah, Permai and Taman Bougainvillea,” he said.
Items seized during the operation included three TVs, an AC adapter, a keyboard computer, a lawn mower, a digital stereo echo mixer, one mobile phone, one tablet, one gold chain and pendants, two gold rings, and house break-in tools such as hammers, saws, screwdrivers and axes.
The police had been tracking the gang’s activity of the gang members since early September this year and carried out continuous monitoring on them for a month, Stanley said.
The gang’s modus operandi was to identify unoccupied houses. They would then break in through the back door or window of the house and subsequently commit theft.
“The stolen goods were then sold to acquaintances while jewelry were disposed off to goldsmiths.
“The suspects arrested were found to have several past records of various criminal cases such as house break-in and theft, car and motorcycle theft, criminal intimidation, illegal possession of firearms and drug abuse,” Stanley added.
All the suspects were later remanded by the Magistrate’s Court for four days from Nov 10-14. — DayakDaily
