Police nab break-in crew targeting luxury homes in Selangor, Johor

SHAH ALAM, Jan 10 — Federal police today said they have crippled a break-in syndicate active in Selangor and Johor, following the arrests of six individuals including two Latin Americans.

Criminal Investigation director Commissioner Datuk Seri Mohd Suhaily Mohd Zain said the group —active since October 2023 — had targeted luxury homes as part of their modus operandi.

Suhaily said investigators made a breakthrough in the case through a Perodua Bezza, which was initially reported missing in Kulai, Johor last year and used by the syndicate to commit their break-ins.

“The two Latin Americans would pose as couriers and break in if the luxury homes’ residents were not in.

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“The arrests made by the task force comprising the Selangor police contingent and Operations and Intelligence division (D4) of Bukit Aman has therefore successfully solved a total of 18 cases in Selangor and Johor with losses amounting as much as RM1.91 million,” he told reporters at a press conference here.

As for the suspects, Suhaily said the two Latin Americans were Colombian nationals who entered Malaysia using social passes while the remaining four were locals.

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He said all suspects were simultaneously detained in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur on January 3, adding that the Colombians were arrested separately at the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport and KLIA Terminal 2.

Following their arrests, police also seized 64 timepieces, 79 pieces of jewellery, foreign currency, passports, and various break-in tools from five locations in Selangor and KL.

He said the four locals were tasked with disposing of and transporting the stolen items, adding that the actual value of proceeds from the break-ins was yet to be determined.

The case is being investigated under Section 457 of the Penal Code for housebreaking.