THREE teenage boys aged between 15 and 17 have been arrested in Johor Bahru on suspicion of robbing an e-hailing driver and committing a separate theft on the same day.
Acting Johor Bahru Utara District Police Chief Superintendent Azrol Anuar Nor said the arrests were made on Tuesday afternoon, shortly after police received a report from a 47-year-old driver alleging he had been robbed by three passengers.
“The complainant claimed he was robbed by three local youths who had taken an e-hailing ride in his vehicle,” he said.
He added that preliminary questioning revealed the incident took place at around 7.30am on Monday while the driver was transporting the suspects home.
According to Azrol Anuar, the passengers asked the driver to show them a QR code, claiming they intended to pay via the Touch ’n Go application once they arrived at a housing area in Skudai.
“As the victim handed over his phone to display the QR code, one of the suspects snatched the device and fled,” he said. The driver attempted to chase them but slipped and sustained minor injuries.
Police seized several items during the arrests, which Azrol Anuar said led investigators to link the trio to another case — a theft reported earlier the same day in Taman Perling.
“Our checks show that all three suspects have no prior criminal records, and initial urine screenings returned negative for drug use,” he added.
The teenagers have been remanded for further investigation under Section 395 of the Penal Code for gang robbery and Section 379 for theft. - December 10, 2025