A local man who allegedly stopped, checked the documents of and robbed foreign nationals has been arrested by police in Taman Perling, Johor Bahru.
Johor police chief Datuk Ab Rahaman Arsad said the 25-year-old suspect was arrested by officers from the Johor Bahru Utara district police headquarters’ Criminal Investigation Division at about 5.40pm on Friday.
He said the arrest followed two police reports lodged by two Rohingya men, aged 25 and 35, on Wednesday and Thursday respectively.
“In the first incident in Taman Perling, the victim was riding a motorcycle while looking for customers for his grass-cutting services when he was stopped by the suspect.
“The suspect then seized the victim’s UNHCR card and grass-cutting machine before leaving the scene,” he said in a statement on Saturday night.
Ab Rahaman said the second incident occurred in a nearby area, where the suspect allegedly stopped another foreign national and demanded his UNHCR card.
An argument subsequently broke out, during which the suspect allegedly punched and threatened the victim.
Following the arrest, police seized a grass-cutting machine, a motorcycle key, a set of clothing, a machete and a UNHCR card.
Checks found that the suspect had one previous criminal record, while an initial urine screening test returned negative for drugs.
The suspect has been remanded for seven days from today until Sept 18 after a magistrate at the Johor Bahru Magistrates’ Court granted the remand order to assist investigations.
Police have also called in the 76-year-old local man who owns the motorcycle involved to have his statement recorded.
Authorities are also verifying the authenticity of the victims’ UNHCR cards through the UNHCR office in Kuala Lumpur.
The case is being investigated under Section 392 of the Penal Code for robbery, Section 323 for voluntarily causing hurt and Section 506 for criminal intimidation.
Ab Rahaman reminded the public that anyone other than the authorities who stops, restrains or checks another person’s identity documents is committing an offence.
