THREE Chinese nationals have been arrested in connection with a house burglary in Kuala Perlis after they were apprehended by local residents who suspected them of involvement in the theft.
The men, aged between 38 and 54, were detained at approximately 10.10pm yesterday near Taman Bukit Kubu Fasa 2, following an earlier break-in at a nearby residence.
Kangar District Police Chief Assistant Commissioner Yusharifuddin Mohd Yusop said the incident came to light when a Thai national discovered his uncle’s home had been broken into.
“Initial investigations at the scene revealed that the back door of the house had been forced open. Closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage later confirmed that several individuals had entered the property unlawfully,” he said in a statement today.
The burglars made off with jewellery worth RM1,200, approximately RM2,500 in cash from a safe, and RM357 found in a wardrobe drawer.
Yusharifuddin added that the suspects were spotted acting suspiciously near the residential area and were subsequently detained by members of the public before being handed over to Kuala Perlis police.
“Further checks confirmed the men were Chinese nationals. A search revealed they were in possession of items belonging to the victim, including cash and jewellery,” he said.
Preliminary investigations indicated that the suspects had only been in Malaysia for about a week and had entered the country purportedly to seek employment.
“They had reportedly been offered work as cooks but had not yet begun employment with any local company,” he said.
The estimated total loss from the incident is RM4,000. The case is being investigated under Section 457 of the Penal Code for housebreaking.
All three suspects have been remanded for six days, from today until 24 July, following an order by Magistrate Nor Shahida Abdul Rahim. - July 19, 2025
