A woman suffered losses of about RM5,000 after her handbag was snatched by a man while she was performing dawn prayers at a mosque along Jalan Kapitan Keling here on Wednesday.
The incident occurred at about 6.15am when the 48-year-old victim, who was in the women’s prayer area, noticed a man attempting to flee with her handbag. She immediately tried to stop him, leading to a struggle between the pair.
Despite her efforts, the suspect managed to escape with the handbag and disappeared from the scene. The ordeal left the victim shaken as the theft took place in a place of worship during prayer time.
Northeast District Police Chief Assistant Commissioner Abdul Rozak Muhammad said the victim lodged a police report at 8.41am, informing authorities that her handbag had been stolen by an unidentified man.
Following swift investigations and immediate action by police, a 54-year-old local man from Batu Caves, Selangor, was arrested later the same day. The suspect was detained at about 5.27pm at the Raja Tun Uda Ferry Terminal while allegedly attempting to flee using the ferry service.
Police also recovered the victim’s personal belongings from the suspect during the arrest, providing a crucial breakthrough in the case. The rapid arrest highlighted the effectiveness of the police response in tracking down the suspect within hours of the incident.
Abdul Rozak said the case is being investigated under Section 392 of the Penal Code for robbery. The suspect has been remanded for seven days from June 25 until July 1 to assist with further investigations.
He also advised members of the public to remain vigilant and safeguard their personal belongings at all times, including when visiting places of worship and other public locations, as criminals often take advantage of moments when victims are distracted.
