Three members of interstate vehicle theft syndicate shot dead in Sik

The Star

06-05-2025

ALOR SETAR: Three suspected members of a syndicate stealing four-wheel-drive (4WD) vehicles were killed in a shootout at a homestay in Sik here on Thursday (May 1) morning, police said.
Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (CID) director Comm Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain said a raid was carried out based on intelligence gathered on the syndicate.
He said the syndicate had been active in Melaka, Selangor, Pahang and Perak and would smuggle the stolen vehicles out of the country.
"We can confirm that at about 2.30am on May 1, a shootout occurred at a homestay in Taman Sejahtera, Sik, Kedah," he told a press conference at Kedah police headquarters here on Tuesday (May 6).
"Acting on information related to vehicle thefts, a team of officers and personnel from the CID of Bukit Aman, with assistance from the Kedah and Melaka CID contingents, raided the premises and successfully neutralised the three suspects."
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Comm Shuhaily said two suspects who were in one bedroom at the homestay fired multiple shots at the raiding team, causing them to return fire, critically wounding both men.
He said the third suspect emerged from a room at the back of the house and charged at the team with a machete.
He said one policeman was struck on his body armour and the team opened fire on the suspect.
He added that all the suspects, aged 35 to 37, were killed.
Comm Shuhaily said police found a black FN Belgian-made pistol and a magazine containing five rounds on the floor of the master bedroom near one suspect's hand, along with several bullet casings.
He said a second black pistol, a CZ 75D Compact with a magazine containing four rounds, was found in the right hand of the second suspect, with several casings on the floor.
He said the third suspect was wielding a 74cm-long machete with a black handle.
He said checks found that the suspects, who were all from Negri Sembilan, had a combined total of 112 criminal and drug offences on their records.
"Two suspects are also wanted for 34 vehicle thefts between them while another suspect is not on the wanted list," he added.
A vehicle found parked in the homestay porch had been reported stolen in Petaling Jaya on April 26, Comm Shuhaily said.
Among the items seized at the scene were 26 sets of fake number plates, seven Touch n' Go cards, one programming device, three sets of Allen keys, two tyre removal tools, a car jumper cable set, one SmartTAG and assorted tools.
The syndicate is suspected of 73 vehicle thefts since 2023, with 18 committed in Melaka from January to April.
Comm Shuhaily said the case has been classified under Section 307 of the Penal Code for attempted murder, and Section 3 of the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971.
Two stolen 4WD vehicles smuggled across the border were also recovered through cooperation with Thai police, he added.
He said the vehicles were found in the Sabayoo district, Songkhla Province, on May 1 and four Thai nationals aged 34 to 58 were arrested as suspected couriers.