KAJANG, May 26 — Two local men shot dead in an exchange of gunfire with police in Bandar Seri Putra, Bangi, last night are believed to have been involved in a string of armed robberies in Selangor and Melaka over the past year.
Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (CID) director Datuk M. Kumar said investigations found the suspects, aged 25 and 46, had a combined 30 previous criminal records involving house break-ins, vehicle theft and robbery.
The group typically targeted houses located near highways and operated using pistols and machetes, and its members were known to act aggressively and injure victims during the robberies.
On the shooting incident at 9.10pm last night, he said a team from the Bukit Aman CID D9 Division, conducting crime prevention patrols, spotted a suspicious Proton Wira in Bandar Seri Putra.
“The police team followed the vehicle for approximately 500 metres and instructed the suspects to stop, but they sped away and collided with the police vehicle,” Kumar said during a media conference at the Kajang district police headquarters today.
The suspects then opened fire from inside the vehicle, forcing police to return fire to neutralise the threat, resulting in the deaths of the driver and front passenger.
A search of the vehicle uncovered a .38 Smith & Wesson revolver, six live rounds, three spent shell casings, four machetes, face masks, gloves, housebreaking tools, and three vehicle registration plates.
He added that several members of the group were believed to remain at large as the syndicate is estimated to comprise about 10 individuals, and efforts to trace them are ongoing.
The case is being investigated under Section 307 of the Penal Code for attempted murder and Section 3 of the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971.
