KUALA LUMPUR: Dozens of shots were fired as police killed five men after they robbed a jewellery store inside a supermarket in Jalan Kuchai Lama today.
Four were killed in a shootout at the entrance to the supermarket while the fifth was shot while fleeing a Mercedes Benz, one of two vehicles used by the gang.
One of the policemen was also shot in the exchange of gunfire in the 4.30pm incident. He was taken to hospital with a gunshot wound to one of his legs and is reported to be in stable condition.
The shootout sent customers of the supermarket scrambling for cover, though at least one witness managed to record part of the incident on his mobile phone.
City police chief Datuk Seri Mazlan Lazim said, though the scene of the shootout is located in the federal capital, it was the Selangor police team which was the nearest at the time.
He said they were despatched to the scene as soon as information reached police about the robbery which was going on.
“The police team ran into four suspects at the entrance to the supermarket. Two of them had pistols and fired at the police team.
“The team returned fire in self defence, killing all four. An accomplice who was waiting in a Mercedes Benz outside the supermarket then took off in the car.
“A chase ensued, ending 400m away when he was shot dead. We have recovered all the jewellery which was stolen and seized two pistols, an axe and a parang, as well as the Mercedes Benz and a Perodua MyVi,” he told reporters at the scene.
Mazlan said the identities of the robbers and their activities before this were still being investigated.
Selangor Criminal Investigation Department chief Senior Assistant Commissioner Fadzil Ahmat said the policemen who had been wounded in the leg was sent to the University Malaya Medical Centre for treatment.
Meanwhile, a man who works at another shop in the supermarket, who only wanted to be identified as Hong, said when the robbery was going on, he had tried to get close to the jewellery store to record what was going on inside.
However, he said he rushed back to hide in his shop when the outer glass wall of the jewellery store suddenly broke.
“Earlier, a friend who works at another shop told me that the jewellery store was being robbed. I went over there to see if I could record anything. I noticed three men wearing motorcycle helmets inside the store while another, who was armed with a pistol, stood guard outside,” he said.
After he fled back to his shop, said Hong, he heard more than 20 gunshots and he began to fear for his life.
“My knees couldn’t stop shaking. Later, a few friends said the robbers had been shot dead.”
Another witness, who wanted to be identified only as Lee, said the robbers were all wearing green reflective vests similar to those worn by police.
“They were carrying an axe, a parang and two guns. I saw three of them enter the jewellery store. I ran off after that.”