Driven by desperation or just plain opportunism? That seems to be the question many are asking pertaining to the spate of convenience stores break-ins in Taman Sri Muda, Shah Alam.

District police chief ACP Baharudin Mat Taib said that the break-ins involving Mydin Mart, KK Super Mart, 7-Eleven, and Pasaraya Jimat in Section 15, were believed to have happened between 1pm and 2pm yesterday, when the waters surrounding the premises were still waist high.

"We believe there are many suspects. The situation is under control.

"We have deployed our personnel to the scene to conduct crime prevention rounds and they are assisted by the General Operations Force (GOF) to monitor the area, and deter recurrence," the New Straits Times (NST) quoted Baharudin saying.

Several photos of the crime scene shows the roller shutters of the premises prised open and damaged.

Baharudin further urged the premise owners to lodge police reports to facilitate investigations.

Meanwhile, Mydin Mohamed Holdings Bhd managing director Ameer Ali Mydin told The Star that his company has incurred losses between RM200,000 and RM300,000 as a result of the break-in.

The items stolen include expensive watches valued at several hundred thousands of ringgit, he said.

"It will be more if we take into account the damage to our premises. The burglars were armed with knives and parang and they stole our expensive watches and electrical appliances.

"We will be lodging a police report soon," Ameer reportedly said.

Despite the theft, Ameer said his company will continue to donate rations to flood victims.


Source: NST, The Star
Photo source: NST