Robbers Fearless and Forward in JB

From The Star letters 10 Oct 2012, an occurence all too familiar for JB residents:

Armed robbers are becoming more brazen

THE report “Rela member in a group or not, woman falls victim to snatch theft” (The Star, Oct 9) illustrates yet again that the criminal acts are real and not “perceptions” as claimed by various quarters.

That the act could take place on a major street such as Jalan Ampang in the heart of Kuala Lumpur during the morning peak hour sends chills down the spine.

It is even more frightening to note that these robbers had the gall to dare the people chasing them to come forward.

A couple of weeks ago, in my housing estate in Johor Baru, four armed and masked robbers jumped over the fence and attempted to charge into a house at about 8.30pm.

They were trying to take advantage of the maid who was in the front porch collecting the laundry.

Luckily, the maid and owner managed to dash back into the house and bolt the door in time.

Even though the owner triggered the house and car alarms to alert the neighbourhood, the robbers ignored this and continued to try to force their way in.

Only after they failed to break in did they give up and go away.

This is the second such incident on this street.

Robbers now do not bother to break into a house in the middle of the night anymore. They just charge in when their intended victims are still awake.

These brazen acts beg the question why are the robbers so aggressive and show such disdain for the law nowadays?

Is this total disrespect for the law an indication that they think they will unlikely be caught?

Despite these robbery attempts, I have not seen any increase in police patrols in the area.

FRIGHTENED

Johor Baru

Revolver-Armed Carjacker/Kidnapper Caught in Johor, Plus Other Crimes

From The Star 11 July 2012:

Quick action helps cops nab car thief who drove off with woman
By YEE XIANG YUN

JOHOR BARU: Alert bystanders led to the arrest of a man who had jumped into a Mini convertible and driven off, taking its female driver with him.

A police team rushed into action and managed to rescue the woman about an hour after the incident.

The 35-year-old man was arrested and a revolver was seized from him.

State deputy police chief Senior Asst Comm Datuk Ismail Yatim said the drama began when the 26-year-old businesswoman was getting into her car in Taman Sentosa.

The woman was believed to have just returned from a late supper.

“The man who was armed with a .38 pistol hopped into the convertible and forced her into the passenger seat.

“He then sped off with the woman still in her seat. Fortunately, we were informed by the public and immediately launched a manhunt.

“The car was found in Jalan Tampoi Lama, about 16km away. We arrested the suspect and seized a .38 Revolver along with three live bullets,” he said, adding that the victim was unhurt.

In another case, a 42-year-old man was arrested for allegedly possessing 57 rounds of ammunition and dismantled parts of four fake pistols during a raid at a house in Taman Larkin Idaman last Friday.

The suspect, who was nabbed at the house in the 4.30pm incident, was remanded for four days to facilitate investigations.

Meanwhile, a retired teacher was robbed of RM40 by a man who rushed into her house just after she had completed her morning walk.

The 71-year-old woman said she was about to close the front gate of her house in Permas Jaya when a man stopped his car in her driveway, exited the vehicle and rushed into her house.

“He then held a parang to my neck and demanded money. I gave him RM40 but he asked for more. I was about to get my purse from a nearby table, but when I turned around, he was gone,” she said.

Singapore Family Kidnapped in JB, Now Free

Excerpt via NST 2 July 2012:

Singapore family returns home safely after kidnapping in Johor

By Stacey Chia

A Singaporean family is now back home safely after a kidnapping incident in Johor early on Sunday morning.

Ms Rita Zahara, 37, her sister, two children and maid were travelling back home after a family reunion at her eldest sister’s house near Larkin in Johor.

Before heading back to Singapore, slightly after midnight, Ms Rita Zahara, stopped about 40m away from some fruit stalls to buy fruits. The stalls were about 3km away from the Woodlands checkpoint. Her sister, children and maid remained in the car with the doors locked.

According to Ms Rita Zahara, she parked her car further away from the stalls, which were quite dark, as she did not want to obstruct traffic. Almost immediately, two men armed with a gun and a knife demanded that Ms Rita Zahara’s family open the door. They then drove off.

Excerpt from The Star 3 July 2012:

Hunt for man in kidnap bid
By DESIREE TRESA GASPER

JOHOR BARU: Police are looking for a man involved in the attempted kidnapping of a Singaporean family early Sunday morning.

Johor CID chief Senior Asst Comm Datuk Amer Awal said the suspect, believed to be armed, had driven off with the family’s Nissan Sunny after hijacking the car while the driver was buying fruits along Jalan Susur Larkin at around 12.45am on July 1.

Rita Zahara, 37, a former television journalist in Singapore, got down from the vehicle, leaving her 19-year-old sister, her two children aged 11 and six and her maid in the car.

Moments later, the kidnapper knocked on the window.

When one of the passengers unlocked the vehicle, the man jumped into the driver’s seat, threatened them with an object that looked like a pistol and drove off with them inside.

When Rita realised that her car was missing, she called her sister’s mobile phone but it was the kidnapper who answered, demanding for money in return for her family.

The negotiations went on for a few hours and the suspect finally released the group and drove off with the car and valuables worth a total of S$80,000 (RM200,000).

SAC Amer said the passengers, who were left at a residential area in Ulu Tiram, were helped by some residents there.

“None of them were hurt during the incident and the family has returned to Singapore,” he said, adding that police were on the lookout for the suspect and the stolen car with a Singaporean registration plate.

“We urge anyone with information to contact the Johor police hotline at 07-221 2999,” he said.

Harassment by Syndicate Thugs in JB

Via The Star Opinion 20 Jun 2012:

Stop this criminal menace in JB

AS part of my duty as a citizen of Malaysia and a resident of Johor Baru city (Bandaraya), I must report the presence of swindling syndicates in town. Syndicate members plant themselves in the neighbourhood of City Square building and the immigration office (First Link).

They are usually young hooligans who station themselves in high traffic places such as the main Junction of City Square Johor Bahru and opposite Hong Leong Bank at Jalan Wong Ah Fook. They are there until the early hours of the morning.

Basically, their intention in basing themselves there is to get “signatures” randomly from pedestrians in the hope of engaging gullible people in their swindling schemes.

Their presence is not only a nuisance to the residents of the town, but also an eyesore to tourists from Singapore and other countries. They may even be endangering the safety of the public in general.

When these syndicate members fail to gain contact with their intended victims, they yell vulgarities and attempt to use body contact in threatening them. Regardless of the age of the passer-by targeted, they would not fail to cause some harm whenever they are ignored.

Many complaints have already been voiced as commentaries in various newspapers, but no action has been taken to secure the safety of residents in the city.

We hope the police will take appropriate action against these syndicate members for the city of Johor Baru to be safer.

LEE MAO HUA,

Johor Baru

JB Robbers Gun Down Guard, Grab RM100k

I lived up the road from Holiday Plaza.

Excerpt from The Star 7 June 2012:

Guard survives hail of bullets
By YEE XIANG YUN

JOHOR BARU: A security guard survived being shot five times during a RM100,000 heist near a money-changer’s outlet here.

The drama unfolded when the guard, R. Paul, 50, was accompanying his money-changer employer out of the Holiday Plaza shopping mall towards the main road where their car was parked at around 8pm on Tuesday.

Paul said he noticed three men wearing ski masks walking towards them, adding that one was armed with a pistol.

“I knew that we were about to be robbed and I wanted to use my shotgun to defend ourselves. But I did not want to fire because there were two women with their children some 50m away from us.

“So, I ran towards the women and children and shouted at them to flee but before I knew it, I was shot in the right thigh.

“Before I could react, the robbers fired a few more shots at me and I collapsed,” Paul told reporters at the Hospital Sultanah Aminah here yesterday.

He was shot in the back of the neck, left waist and abdomen, his left arm and on his right thigh.

Paul said although the robbers fired six shots at him, a bullet hit his handphone in his right shirt pocket.

“Although I collapsed, I could still hear what was going on. I remember hearing my boss trying to negotiate with the robbers. Eventually, he told them to take the money and not hurt us,” he said, adding that he then blacked out.

…

Johor deputy police chief Datuk Ismail Yatim said the robbers managed to escape with the RM100,000 from the money-changer, who is in his 30s.

“We believe two men grabbed the bag with the money and escaped in a car driven by one of their accomplices, who was waiting nearby.

“We also found nine bullet shells at the scene and are investigating the CCTV footage from the mall,” he said.

Johor: Carjacker Speeds Off With 2-Year-Old

Excerpt from The Star 6 June 2012:

Mum recounts terror after thief drives away car with son in it
By DESIREE TRESA GASPER

JOHOR BARU: …She had watched in horror as a thief drove off with her car with her two-year-old son still inside near a supermarket in Kangkar Pulai, near here, on Monday.

…

Khazlin said she had parked outside the supermarket to buy some groceries.

She left her three children in the car and locked it.

However, her eldest child, six-year-old Nor Sabrina Damiah, came out to hand a handphone the mother had left in the car.

“Within seconds, someone got into the driver’s seat,” she said, adding that her other daughter, four-year-old Nur Sofea Hadirah, screamed and quickly scrambled out of the car.

Unfortunately she was not able to pull little Mohd Ryan Azim out as the car sped away.

“I could not think straight and all the kidnap cases that have been reported in the media ran through my mind,” she said.

The frantic mother and other passers-by tried to give chase but the car sped off.

She then lodged a police report.

The child was found at a nearby restaurant in Taman Universiti about an hour after the incident.

The car was located at 11.30pm the same day and three men in it were arrested.

Khazlin said she felt relieved and overjoyed when a restaurant owner called to say the boy was safe.

Having learnt her lesson the hard way, she advised parents: “Never leave your children unattended in your car, even if it is locked.”

Nusajaya OCPD Supt Noor Hashim Mohamad said the three men arrested, all in their 30s, have previous drug-related records.

“With their arrests, we believe we have solved nine car theft cases in the Nusajaya and Johor Baru South areas,” he said.

Whole Bunch of JB Serious Crime Anecdotes and Links by The Best Of Both Worlds

From The Best Of Both Worlds via simonthongwh:

Thursday, January 6, 2011
Towards Lesser Crime In JB

Crime in Johor Bahru have reach new highs in my personal view.Especially house break ins, snatch thieves and robberies. They, the criminals are now very bold and very well equipped. They commit crimes even at broad daylight!It is one thing to lose valuables but the emotional trauma? Wouldn’t one fear for one’s belongings, love ones or one’s own well being? I have known cases around me and myself included have fall victims of these crimes.But where does one go to next? How does one help to inform the right people to take steps to help prevent crime and not wait till its too late. People seem to turn away or brush off matters like these until it happens to someone close or some important person. It is truly very very sad.. Crime prevention is not political, its not racial. There is no monetary gains nor is it meant to gain popularity it is about (a)the community’s welfare.There are poorly or not lighted back lanes, deserted or abandon houses there must be steps taken to monitor these areas or upgrade them.Patrols during the day, patrols into back lanes whether they are pitch dark or lighted. There is no blaming of anybody or departments or what have you. Its just making/taking steps to prevent crime. A very simple issue.I personally don’t even know if writing in this blog will help me establish or get the message out to the right people but least I have tried.

This is a blog written by Rencetan on May 1 2009, in The Star daily.

The recent parang incident in Johor prompted me to blog again about crime in JB.
A gang of three armed robbers chopped off the left arm of 28-year old Wang Kai Yin, a car repairman in Kulai, Johor Bahru because they only managed to get RM300 cash and a mobile phone from the victim.
Out of anger, one of the three men on two motorcycles cut off his arm when told he had no more money after surrendering his wallet.
******

Earlier, I had blogged about robbers in Taman Majidee using 19-year old Cheng Jun Wei as human shield when pursued by a security guard.
She suffered head injuries and subsequently passed away two days later.

A month later, a man allegedly lost more than RM5,000 to a snatch thief at a money changer shop in Taman Majidee.
To aggravate matter, he was shot twice at his waist during an argument with a security guard.
******

In January last year, at The Store in Taman Sentosa JB, 31-year old Singaporean Ms Joanne Tan, was dragged about 10 metre for refusing to let go her handbag.
She was slashed on the left arm.
After two snatch thieves gave up on her, a car ran over her feet.

For readers information, all these place are less than ten-minute ride from where I stay.
******

Last May, the police target to reduce Johor crime index by at least 30% in 2010, especially in the Iskandar area, JB South.

And in the first nine months of 2010, police crime index was down by 24.17% or 5,369 cases.

A year earlier, there were 22,211 cases which included property and violent crimes.

I sincerely hope that the 30% target had thus been achieved.

Two weeks before the announcement was made, even JB South OCPD Asst Comm Zainuddin Yaakob, home alone, had a dawn shock when he was tied up and robbed at knife point in his own house a year earlier.

The suspects, all believed to be Indonesians ransacked his home before fleeing.

Two weeks later, Huzaimah Yahya, wife of Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yasin political secretary, Syahrin Md Jamaluddin, was tied up during robbery, car stolen, house ransacked, fridge, pots and pans raided in Kampung Sinaran Baru, Skudai around 2am.

This is the second break-in for them after two years.

Crimes in Nusajaya, Upscale Housing Area Near JB

Via simonthongwh:

Nusajaya folks fear increasing crime rates
Posted on December 3, 2011 by Eric Ku

Residents of Nusajaya vicinity in Johor Bahru feel unsettled due to the increase in buglary cases in the area.

Recent protests in Taman Pulai Utama concerning the escalating crime rates initiated a dialogue session called “Sesi Dialog Polis Dengan Penduduk” recently to discuss measures which need to be taken by the police with cooperation from the residents to battle the issue at hand.

According to the Deputy CPO of IPD Nusajaya, Tuan Razak, this is the second dialogue held in Nusajaya to answer the public’s enquiry and to offer consolation to the jittery residents.

As per police report and record, Taman Pulai Utama had a total of 70 case this year, comprising 41 lost motorcycles, 7 missing cars, 19 burglary and 3 rape cases. To date, no one has been nabbed for the cases.

The public openly displayed their frustration as many Nusajaya cases have been redirected to other police stations surmounting to a waste of time and effort.

Ex-police office, James Barran, voiced his frustration at the lackadaisical attitude of the police force.

“20 years ago, when I was a Police officer in Batu Pahat, the police received reports regardless of territory, but now I personally encountered a case where I was asked to lodge a Police report in Kangkar Pulai which is 5 km further from the one at Taman Universiti which is just 1 km away,” said the exasperated ex-police officer.

Barran was supported by one of the local residents, Ong Ju Seng, who faced similar problems and had to travel a few times to give investigation statements in a rural police stations, when there was a police station close to home.

Tuan Razak, in his reply mentioned that public can make police report in any of the police station, and that there is no excuse for policemen to channel cases to other stations. Disciplinary actions will take against officers who refuse to comply. He explained that there is a shortage of investigative officers and therefore some lapse in time may occur before crime cases receive due investigation.

The resident in Taman Pulai Utama requested more police patrol in the area, regardless of having security personals in the guarded and gated area. They request that the police be more efficient when recovering evidence and to be efficient when dealing with suspects in order to deter repetitive crime.

A total of 200 people attended the dialogue. Also present was the Ahli Majlis Perbandaran Johor Bahru Tengah ( MPJBT), Jason Teo and community policing Bukit Indah, Yap Kwi Juan and legal advisor Lau Kok Guan.

JB Gang Targets Gold of Newlyweds

Via simonthongwh:

New Straits Times
Gang targets newly-weds for their gold
2011/10/01
By Ben Tan
bentan@nst.com.my

JOHOR BARU:Of late, a gang of burglars has been targeting the homes of newly-wed Chinese couples here.

They would break into the houses for cash and gold jewellery when the families were at their wedding banquets. The gang, which targets homes in urban residential areas, was able steal thousands of ringgit in cash and jewellery in just 15 minutes.

The houses of newly-weds or that of their parents normally contain ang pow given by family members and guests during the traditional tea ceremony held before the banquet.
Most of the Chinese here, who are Teochew or Hokkien, keep gold jewellery, called si tiam kim (four points of gold in Teochew), to be given as gifts to the bride in their homes during the wedding. The si tiam kim consists of a pair of earrings, a necklace, a bracelet and a ring.

Sources told the New Sunday Times that most weddings took place during the weekend and there was no time to bank in the cash or place the jewellery in a safe deposit box.

“Another glaring giveaway to the burglars is the red sash and Chinese characters emblazoned on the main door of the bride’s home in preparation for the tea ceremony.
“Come the wedding dinner on Saturday or Sunday, the whole family will go to the restaurant or hotel by 4pm,” said a source.

Initial investigations revealed that the burglars, believed to be working in groups of two or three, would make their rounds in residential areas before the weekend.

Once they targeted a home, a visual inspection of its surroundings was made for alarm systems and the proximity of the break-in points to the immediate neighbour’s house.
The source said the burglars preferred corner-lot houses where the break-in and exit was easier through the roof. The gang would strike between 6pm and 8pm.

“They would enter the newly-weds’ bedroom, where the ang pow and gold jewellery were usually kept.

“Most of the time, the burglars would leave the other parts of the house untouched. They were only interested in the ang pow and si tiam kim,” added the source.

Johor police chief Datuk Mokhtar Shariff said police were aware of the cases and had been monitoring the situation.

Johor Police on Crimes Encountered by Singaporeans

Via simonthongwh:

Saturday, October 15, 2011
TODAYonline

Johor police: We are in full control

by Teo Xuanwei
04:46 AM Oct 15, 2011

JOHOR BARU – Three weeks after a Malaysian politician reportedly made negative remarks about the crime situation in Johor, the police chief of the southern state has stepped out to stress that his department is in “full control”.

At a rare press conference yesterday morning on Johor’s crime rates attended by some 40 journalists – half of whom were from Singapore – Deputy Commissioner of Police Mokhtar Shariff spent almost 45 minutes presenting various statistics, such as a 25-per-cent drop in the total number of cases last year, as well as a steady decline in crimes against Singaporeans.

He said: “I must assure and reiterate and stress that the police is in full control of the crime situation in Johor. This, I believe, should eliminate all unfounded concerns and allegations on safety and security issues.”

Bernama news agency reported on Sept 23 that Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had made comments to the foreign media, which reportedly implied that Singaporeans were more likely to be kidnapped in Johor than in Penang.

Mr Lim, the secretary-general of the opposition Democratic Action Party, subsequently apologised to the Sultan of Johor but maintained that his words were “misrepresented”.

Yesterday, Mr Mokhtar noted that there have been only two reported abductions of Singaporeans since 2008.

And out of the 14.1 million trips Singaporeans made across the Causeway last year, just 320 of those trips, or 0.002 per cent, met with crime in Johor. This ratio would be “deemed natural”, in his words, in any part of the world.

“The crimes were generally common in nature and not specifically aimed at Singaporeans. (The criminals) have an opportunity, they strike. They don’t look at race, religion, or nationality,” Mr Mokhtar said.

There were 386 cases of violent and property crimes committed against Singaporeans in 2008.

This rose to 413 in 2009, but plunged to 320 last year. For the first eight months of this year, there have been 230 such cases.

He stressed that the Johor police will strive not to allow even one Singaporean being hit by criminal activities, citing how 25 police posts, otherwise referred to as beat bases, have been set up in various areas in the city. There are also plans to boost the 8,300-strong force by another 800 officers to increase police presence.

Mr Mokhtar also revealed that street crimes – snatch thefts are a particular menace – have also plunged by 45 per cent in total from January to September this year. He added that 279 snatch thieves, which he labelled “monsters and parasites”, have been nabbed this year.

Even as the statistics point to an improving security situation, concerns over safety continue to linger among Singaporeans, due to sensational crimes making the headlines periodically.

In January, for instance, a millionaire businessman’s mistress, daughter and maid were kidnapped, allegedly by two Malaysians, outside a mini-mart in Johor Baru’s Permas Jaya township.

They were released less than two weeks later after the businessman paid a S$9 million ransom.

Singaporeans’ willingness to visit Johor have also been marred by other recent incidents.

A new fingerprinting immigration system in June caused massive traffic snares at the checkpoints – two Malaysian business associations reported a 30- to 50-per-cent fall in business.

There was also a controversy over two Singapore women allegedly made to do nude squats after they were arrested at the Malaysian checkpoint for allegedly entering the country without going through immigration checks.

The Star
Published: Friday October 14, 2011 MYT 4:26:00 PM

Johor police brief S’pore media over security

JOHOR BARU: Only 320 crimes involving Singaporeans were recorded in Johor last year. Most involved missing cars and motorcycles.

Since 2008, only two cases of abduction of Singaporeans were reported. About 14 million Singaporeans enter Johor for holidays, business and other matters annually.

Thus, any assumption that people fear to come to Johor is utterly baseless, said state police chief Datuk Mokhtar Shariff at a briefing of local and Singapore journalists of the crime situation.

He added that the negative perception of Johor’s crime rate had to be countered through frequent briefing sessions for media members from Singapore.

He said criminals do not select their victims based on nationality, race or religion but commit crime as and when they get the opportunity.

“We have put in place various strategies including increasing police intelligence, working with community policing groups, increasing raids, creating police beats and utilising the latest technology to clamp down on crime here,” he said.

He was responding to a remark made by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng about Johor’s security.

MySinchew.com

Police to brief public regularly on security in Johor

2011-10-14 15:37

JOHOR BAHRU, Oct 14 (Bernama) — Johor police today briefed the media from Johor and Singapore on security in the Iskandar Malaysia development corridor, and promised more regular briefings for the media and foreign investors to dismiss any negative perception that Johor was an unsafe state.

Johor police chief Datuk Mohd Mokhtar Mohd Shariff said there was no basis to regard Johor as an unsafe state and gave the assurance that the police would redouble efforts to fight crime.

He said only two cases of abduction involving Singaporeans were recorded since 2008.

“Only 320 crimes involving Singaporeans were recorded last year, most of them associated with missing cars and motorcycles” he said, adding that the number was small compared to the 14 million arrivals in the state.

“Any assumption that people fear to come to Johor is utterly baseless,” he told reporters after the briefing.

Mohd Mokhtar said criminals do not select their victims based on nationality, race or religion but commit crime as and when they get the opportunity.

It is hoped that the briefings will provide a clear picture of the security situation in the state and instill confidence in potential tourists and foreign investors, he said.

He said the government had allocated RM500 million to step up security in Iskandar Malaysia through the setting up of several district police headquarters, increasing the number of patrol units and installing more closed circuit television cameras for monitoring.

Compare against this via simonthongwh:

A cousin, a Singaporean, came to visit his friend in JB and became a victim in JB’s SAFE STREETS!

I read your post in the face book about robbery in Ipoh Garden East on Lunar New Year Eve. I am not sure whether you know I was also a victim of robbery in Malaysia?

On 11th August last year (2011), I went to visit my friend and his family in Johor Bahru with my family members. We were robbed and attacked in front of my friend’s house at 11.30am. I shouted but no one dared to help except my friend. Because of my shouting, I was slashed with a parang on my right thigh just above the knee and my wife’s handbag was taken. I couldn’t walk for few months. Even now I am still limping and undergoing physiotherapy, (after more than 5 months).

Tell all your friends to keep cool if met with robbery. Just hand over their valuables quietly. DON”T SHOUT. No one dares to help. If they shout, they may be stabbed or slashed, which will be worse.

The Police are useless!!! Yes, you are right. They will just make statements, that it is very safe, crime rate is low and dropping, etc, etc!!!

About one month after my case, the Police Chief in Johor also said that Johor is very safe, to encourage Singaporeans to visit and shop in Johor Bahru! He said that in 2010 there were ONLY 320 cases of crime (or 0.002 % of total visits) involving Singaporeans.

He couldn’t even see the facts behind his own figures! It actually means that nearly every day a visiting Singaporean was robbed and if Malaysians were included, the figure would be very much higher!

He seems to be happy with the 0.002% figure. But for visitors and Malaysians, we would certainly expect a much better figure.

Although my wife made a police report that evening (I was in hospital undergoing emergency surgery), there was completely no news from the Police of our case till now.