KUALA LUMPUR: Police have arrested a group of Latin-American men who stole RM7 million in cash, jewellery and luxury watches from a terraced house in Bukit Damansara in May.
City police chief Datuk Rusdi Mohd Isa said they received a report on the incident around 11.34pm on May 31.
"The complainant, who is a businessman, claimed he came home that night after going out to eat and found his master bedroom ransacked.
"He claimed that 30 luxury watches, jewellery and RM20,000 in cash had gone missing," he told reporters at a press conference on Thursday.
He said the items stolen were worth at least RM7 million.
"We conducted intelligence gathering and arrested five men and two women between June 6 and June 11.
"Three of the male suspects are Latin-American," he said adding that one of the women arrested is believed to be the girlfriend of one of the Latin-American suspects.
He said the other woman, aged 36, is believed to have purchased the jewellery from the suspects.
"We also recovered 29 watches, 97 items of jewellery worth RM4 million and RM4,550 cash.
"Based on our investigations, another Latin American suspect who was also believed to be involved, was caught by Thailand immigration in Bangkok on June 14," he said adding that an arrest warrant has been issued by the Kuala Lumpur magistrates court to facilitate the handover of the suspect to Malaysian authorities.
He said the three Latin American suspects were currently under remand.
"We will charge the three together with the other suspect who is still in Thailand, tomorrow.
"One of the female suspects will also be charged," he said adding that the suspects were believed to have prowled around gated and guarded neighbourhoods in a Perodua MyVi looking for easy targets.
He said checks revealed the suspects would disable CCTV cameras and break grills in order to gain entry into houses that were vacant.