$300k gang robbery: Two suspects arrested in Malaysia

The two suspects were nabbed with help from the Royal Malaysia Police on Thursday and extradited to Singapore on the same day. They had fled to Malaysia after the robbery at Rowell Road on Dec 11 last year.
The two suspects were nabbed with help from the Royal Malaysia Police on Thursday and extradited to Singapore on the same day. They had fled to Malaysia after the robbery at Rowell Road on Dec 11 last year. PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE

Two men were arrested in Malaysia on Thursday for their suspected involvement in a gang robbery that took place at a Rowell Road shophouse last year.

The pair, aged 30 and 33, were nabbed with help from the Royal Malaysia Police and extradited to Singapore on the same day, the police said in a statement early yesterday.

The police were alerted to the robbery, which involved $300,000, at 93 Rowell Road at 3.10am on Dec 11 last year.

Officers from Central Police Division conducted extensive investigations and established that a total of 12 suspects were involved. They were all Singaporeans, mostly in their 20s.

The Straits Times understands that the 33-year-old man had allegedly robbed a Bangladeshi worker of the money that he had earlier collected from other workers to help remit home.

The man had entered the shophouse with about four other suspects, while the rest waited outside as lookouts.

Ten of them were arrested in a series of operations between Dec 11 and Jan 8. They have been charged in court and their cases are still ongoing.

The remaining two men, however, were found to have fled Singapore for Malaysia after the robbery.

Gang robbery is punishable with up to 20 years in jail and at least 12 strokes of the cane.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Arthur Law, commander of Central Police Division, expressed his appreciation to the Malaysian police for their assistance.

The Singapore Police Force "will do its utmost to track down those who flee Singapore after committing crimes. With the assistance from foreign law-enforcement counterparts, we will ensure that justice is served", he added.

Ng Huiwen

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on April 14, 2018, with the headline $300k gang robbery: Two suspects arrested in Malaysia. Subscribe