Izz Laily Hussein
ISKANDAR PUTERI: A teenage girl has been arrested for allegedly committing mischief three times last month, targeting the homes of loan shark borrowers by throwing petrol bombs and paint.
District police chief Assistant Commissioner M. Kumarasan said the 17-year-old suspect was arrested on Nov 27 and confessed to her involvement in two incidents in Taman Bukit Indah and Kangkar Pulai.
He said she admitted to the Nov 27 incident in Taman Damai Jaya, Skudai, as well as the other two attacks, all using the same tactic.
"Investigations revealed that the suspect was hired by an unlicensed money lending syndicate based in Singapore. The syndicate paid her to set fire to homes of victims who failed to repay their loans," he said at a press conference at the Iskandar Puteri police headquarters today.
The threatening note left at one of the scenes included a phone number from Singapore.
Kumarasan said the suspect, who dropped out of school and is unemployed, had been seeking work when she saw a job advertisement on social media.
He said she was offered RM1,000 for setting fire to a victim's vehicle or house, and RM600 for throwing paint.
He added that the suspect acted alone and began her attacks last month.
Kumarasan said that the Nov 28 report of a petrol bomb causing a car to catch fire in Taman Damai Jaya led to her arrest.
She has no prior criminal record, and initial urine tests showed she was not on drugs.
The suspect has been remanded for nine days, beginning Nov 27.
The case is being investigated under Section 435 of the Penal Code for mischief by fire or explosive substances and Section 507 for criminal intimidation through anonymous communication.
To address the rise in petrol and paint bomb attacks, Kumarasan announced the formation of a special unit to tackle unlicensed money lending syndicates.
"We believe there are more individuals hired for such activities, and we are confident that further arrests will be made soon," he said.