Wednesday August 24, 2011

Many fall for Bukit Aman scam

By AUSTIN CAMOENS
austin@thestar.com.my

PETALING JAYA: We have heard of the Nigerian 419 scam, the AL-Globo lottery scam, but the Bukit Aman scam must surely be the mother of all scams.
A syndicate posing as police officers from Bukit Aman has been ripping off unsuspecting victims of hundreds of thousands of ringgit by claiming that they are being investigated for alleged money laundering.
Their latest victim is an elderly woman who lost about RM260,000.
Relating the ordeal, the woman who only wanted to be known as Margeret, in her 60s, said she received a phone call on Aug 18 from a man claiming to be a police inspector from Bukit Aman.
She said the “officer” told her that she was being investigated by the Hong Kong police over dealings with two drug dealers there.
“The officer told me that if I did not cooperate fully with police investigations, I would be extradited to Hong Kong to face charges for the offence,” she told The Star yesterday.
Margeret said the officer then passed to her the number of a senior police investigator in Hong Kong to verify the matter.
“I called the number given and a man claiming to be a police officer warned me that I was being investigated together with 28 other people for alleged dealings with drug dealers there,” she said, adding that the man told her to cooperate fully with the police here.
She said she then received another call from a senior police inspector in Bukit Aman who asked her to transfer all her money into an account provided by them.
“They said this was to help them verify that the funds were not linked to drug dealers in Hong Kong,” she said, adding that she transferred a total of RM260,000 from five separate banks to the police here.
Margeret said the officer told her to transfer any additional funds she had to facilitate police investigations failing which she would be arrested.
“I told them that I had an additional RM128,000 in a fixed deposit account in Temerloh, but I could not withdraw the money until the next day.”
Fearing something was amiss, she lodged a police report with the Mentakab police.
Federal Commercial Crimes Investigations Department (CCID) deputy director Deputy Comm Datuk Tajuddin Md Isa said police were investigating the case and appealed to the public to contact Bukit Aman to verify the calls.

Wednesday August 24, 2011

Coach falls prey to con men while in London

By RASHVINJEET S.BEDI
rashvin@thestar.com.my

PETALING JAYA: A Malaysian fell victim to con men posing as policemen in London, losing almost US$600 (RM1,800).
Muhammad Sahir A. Rahim, 29, the Malaysian optimist sailing team coach, was on his way to a park to join the team for training when the incident occurred on Aug 12.
As Sahir needed to use the toilet, he told the team to go ahead. He left about 10 minutes later to the park located near Malaysia Hall in central London, where the team was staying.
As he was walking, a tourist who looked Eastern European came up to him and asked for directions.
A few seconds later, another two foreign-looking men came up to them. They produced police badges and asked both of them for their passports and wallets for identification.
“The other tourist gave his wallet. I saw them taking out money and putting it back. It didn't feel right, but they wanted to see some identification,” said Sahir in an interview from Langkawi, where he is based.
As Sahir had left his passport behind, he handed over his wallet.
“I saw them taking out money and putting it back quickly,” he said.
He then returned to Malaysia Hall and asked the reception if the police ever conducted such checks on tourists, and was told about a similar modus operandi used by criminals in the area.
Upon checking, Sahir found about US$600 missing from his wallet.

Published: Wednesday August 24, 2011 MYT 9:05:00 PM
Updated: Wednesday August 24, 2011 MYT 9:19:56 PM

S'gor police launch smartphone app for SOS calls

By AUSTIN CAMOENS

SHAH ALAM: Facing danger and need to call the police pronto? Just press the SOS key on your smartphone and they can locate you wherever you are, thanks to a new app (application) co-developed by Selangor police.

The app, dubbed MyDistress, is compatible with Android, Apple, Symbian and Java and Blackberry smartphone operating systems, said Deputy Supt Mohamed Mokhsein Mohamed Zon, the officer in charge of the project.

"We co-developed the application with mobile phone software developer Convep Mobilogy Sdn Bhd.

"The purpose is to assist members of the public who may need our assistance in high-risk situations like robberies, break-ins, abduction and even kidnapping," he said, adding that it took a year to develop the app.

DSP Mohamed Mokhsein said the app, when activated, was capable of transmitting the GPS coordinates of any individual who had installed it in his smartphone.

Meanwhile, Selangor police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Tun Hisan Tun Hamzah said the app could be used for free within the eight police districts in Selangor until January next year.

He added that the app would cost RM2 monthly from next year.

The app can downloaded into smartphones at mydistress.net.

Thursday August 25, 2011

Doctor found murdered with head decapitated

BENTONG: A doctor was brutally murdered and his head decapitated at a farm here.
Dr Harjit Singh, 61, was found dead inside a hut in his farm in Kg Sertik at about 8pm on Tuesday.
A 31-year-old man, said to be a farm helper, has been arrested to assist in investigations.
Dr Harjit is the brother-in-law of Kuala Lumpur deputy police chief SAC Datuk Amar Singh.
Bentong acting OCPD Deputy Supt Mohd Mansor Mohd Nor said when police reached the scene at 11.30pm they found Dr Harjit's head on a chair beside his body.
Pahang CID chief SAC T. Narenasegaran said Dr Harjit was a contract doctor at a prison here.
Police found a machete at the scene which was believed to have been used by the suspect to chop off the head, said SAC Narenasegaran.

Thursday August 25, 2011

Vet killed in accident along highway

MUAR: A veterinary doctor from Putrajaya was killed in an accident on KM142 along the North-South Expressway here.
Dr Maznah Mohd Yusof, 53, who was sitting at the back, suffered head injuries when the driver of the 4WD she was in lost control of the vehicle after a tyre burst.
The vehicle then turned turtle after hitting a divider near the Pagoh toll plaza at about 11am yesterday.
Dr Maznah died on the spot but the driver of the vehicle was not hurt.
Her colleague Dr Zaleha Abdullah, in her 40s, was injured and rushed to the Sultanah Fatimah Specialist Hospital.
Dr Maznah's family had claimed her body from the hospital mortuary for burial in her home state of Malacca.
Hospital director Dr Ahmad Pauzi Abu said Dr Zaleha's condition was stable.

Thursday August 25, 2011

Snatch thief stabs woman who resisted

KUALA LUMPUR: An insurance agent was stabbed several times as she tried to stop a snatch thief from grabbing her handbag in Ampang.
Wini Roswita Abdullah, 38, was stabbed four times in the back during the incident near Ampang Point Shopping Centre at about 10pm on Tuesday.
The victim was sent to the Ampang Puteri Hospital and is reported to be in stable condition.
Her husband Suhaimi Mohmod, 41, said Wini was walking towards her car with her friend after a drink when all of a sudden three men approached them and tried to grab their handbags.
“Wini tried to stop the robbers and was stabbed by one of them,” he said yesterday.
The robbers managed to grab two handbags before fleeing the scene.
Ampang Jaya OCPD Asst Comm Amiruddin Jamaluddin confirmed the incident.

Thursday August 25, 2011

Hunt on for suspect who snatched RM100,000

Wanted: The suspect’s photofit

KOTA KINABALU: Police are on the hunt for a suspect who snatched RM100,000 in cash outside a bank in Inanam town here.
A photofit of the suspect has been released.
Kota Kinabalu city police chief Asst Comm Ahmad Sofi said the suspect was about 1.7m in height and medium-built.
In the Aug 22 incident, a 44-year-old businessman had just withdrawn the money and was about to enter his car when a motorcyclist with a pillion rider approached him and grabbed the envelope containing the cash.
Ahmad Sofi urged anyone with information to immediately contact Insp B. Shreetharan at 016-3572935 or 088-242111 or the nearest police station.

Thursday August 25, 2011

Nine-year-old girl killed in fire

By TAN SIN CHOW and HAFIZ MARZUKHI
north@thestar.com.my

GEORGE TOWN: Zulaikha Batriesya Mohamad Zafian (pic) was supposed to join her family members on a Hari Raya shopping spree to buy new clothes today.
The nine-year-old, however, was killed in a fire which gutted her house and six others in Kampung Sungai Nibong Kechil here.
Her badly-burned body was found an hour after the 5.30am fire in front of a neighbour's house yesterday.
Her mother, Munira Abdullah, 36, said Zulaikha, a Year Three student in SK Bayan Baru, had been absent from school for the past two weeks because of her poor health.
She said the family planned to get Zulaikha, who had epilepsy, and her siblings new clothes for Raya.
“Zulaikha was really looking forward to celebrating Raya after hearing the sound of firecrackers,” she said.
Her eldest brother, Mohd Zulfikar, 15, said he managed to get everyone out of the house after learning that a fire had broken out in one of the rooms on the upper floor of the house.
He said Zulaikha and a few others were taking a nap in the living room after having their sahur meal (pre-dawn meal).
“Everyone got out of the house, including my sister Zulaikha, as I had carried her out.
“We only realised she was missing sometime later.

Aftermath: The remains of Zulaikha’s house after the fire yesterday. The fire razed seven houses and left at least 30 people homeless.

“I have no idea when and why she returned to the scene,” he said when met at the Balik Pulau Hospital mortuary yesterday.
The fire, which razed seven houses, left at least 30 people homeless.
Pantai Jerejak assemblyman Sim Tze Tzin said RM20,000 as well as blankets and mats were given to the 14 families affected by the fire.

Thursday August 25, 2011

Man leaves Myvi at service centre and drives off in BMW

By SARBAN SINGH
newsdesk@thestar.com.my

SEREMBAN: A man who walked into a service centre near here on the pretext of servicing his Perodua Myvi shocked patrons and the outlet owner when he drove away another customer's newly-serviced BMW.
However, he was arrested the next morning while attempting to drive the car out of a parking lot outside a row of shophouses near his home in Sikamat near here.
Police also seized two other vehicles parked near the rented home of the suspect a Mitsubishi Triton and a Kia Spectra. The Myvi was also reported stolen earlier.

Hot wheels: SAC Osman (centre) inspecting the BMW that was seized from the thief. – Bernama

Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect, in his early 40s, had gone on a spree, stealing several other cars including Honda, Toyota and Nissan models from service centres and workshops, state police chief Senior Asst Comm Datuk Osman Salleh said.
“The thefts were reported in the Klang Valley in recent weeks. Investigations reveal this is a one-man show,” he told reporters yesterday.
He added that the suspect, who was from Perak but did odd jobs in Kuala Lumpur, had been jailed twice for criminal offences.
He had been renting the house here for the past three months.
“His modus operandi was simple. He would observe happenings at a particular workshop or service centre, coolly walk in and just drive the car away,” he said, adding that there was a possibility that the stolen cars might have been cannibalised and sold to spare part dealers.
SAC Osman advised those who had bought cars below the market value to notify the nearest police station as they might be driving stolen vehicles.
Those found driving such vehicles can be charged with having stolen property.

Friday August 26, 2011

Beware phony firm targeting SMIs, says businessman

KUALA LUMPUR: A phony consultant company inviting small and medium industries (SMIs) to become suppliers to a government agency is making its rounds.
The new tactic came to light after a businessman came forward to warn other SMIs to be careful when they receive such unsolicited invitations.
Print & Pack Solution Sdn Bhd general manager Alan Wong, 37, said his company received an invitation through facsimile bearing the letterhead of the Agro-based Product Marketing Board.
Wong said he had reservations about the invitation as it was faxed but he took the chance as he was interested in getting more business.
“I prepared a packet with the required documents and a RM6,000 post-dated cheque as deposit. That way, I thought if anything went wrong, I could still recover the money,” Wong said.
After the packet was hand delivered to the consultant company’s office on Aug 16, Wong received a call the same day telling him that his application could not be processed because of the post-dated cheque.
Sensing something amiss, Wong told the general manager, who said his name was Tan Chun Hoe, that he wanted to withdraw his application.
Three days later, Wong received a call from his bank regarding the RM6,000 post-dated cheque that he had issued.
He immediately cancelled the cheque and lodged a police report at the Dang Wangi police headquarters.
“The date on the cheque had been altered to Aug 1 from Aug 31,” Wong said.
MCA National Youth Strategic Planning Research Bureau chief Neil Foo Seck Chyn, who called the press conference, urged companies which had encountered the same scam to lodge a police report.

Saturday August 27, 2011

Youth dies in joy ride car crash

DUNGUN: It was a tragic end for a man who borrowed his elder brother’s car for a joy ride.
Ahmad Sofri Badarudin, 23, died when he lost control of the Proton Iswara, which split into half after he rammed it into a tree at Km9 of Jalan Teluk Lipat-Sura Hujung here on Thursday.
He was flung some 30m from the car and died on the spot due to severe head injuries.

Tragic end: The Proton Iswara which split into half after the accident at Jalan Lipat-Sura Hujung, Dungun, Terengganu on Wednesday. (Inset) Ahmad Sofri.

His brother Ahmad Sobri, 35, said they only knew of the accident when his younger sister tried to call the victim.
“We were worried as he was not back for buka puasa. When we called his mobile phone, another person answered and informed us of the accident,” he said in between tears.
Dungun OCPD Supt Dahlan Mohd Noor confirmed the incident.

Published: Saturday August 27, 2011 MYT 5:00:00 PM
Updated: Saturday August 27, 2011 MYT 5:02:43 PM

Fallen tree causes two-hour jam in Bangsar

KUALA LUMPUR: A fallen tree caused some two hours of traffic congestion in Bangsar Saturday.
Jalan Maarof heading towards Damansara was cut off by the tree which fell at about 3pm.
On the opposite side of the road, only one lane was opened to traffic heading to Kuala Lumpur and Mid Valley Megamall.
City Hall officials cleared the tree at about 4.30pm and traffic was back to normal.
They said the tree fell due to the loose ground after several days of rain.

Sunday August 28, 2011

Twenty-four dead from road accidents

KUALA LUMPUR: Twenty-four people were killed in road accidents on the fourth day of the 24th Ops Sikap launched in conjunction with Hari Raya.
According to a statement by Bukit Aman police on its website yesterday, motorcyclists accounted for the highest number of deaths (14), followed by motorists (six) and pedestrians (two).
There were two deaths involving a lorry and another vehicle.
The statement said 9,556 summonses were issued to traffic offenders in Friday’s operation.
Ops Sikap is aimed at encouraging defensive driving to reduce road accidents during the festive season.
Ops Sikap 24, which was launched by deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Khalid Abu Bakar on Sunday, ends on Sept 6. — Ber­nama

Published: Sunday August 28, 2011 MYT 12:38:00 PM

17 road deaths reported on fifth day of Ops Sikap

KUALA LUMPUR: Seventeen deaths were reported Saturday on the fifth day of Ops Sikap 24 exercise to reduce road accidents during the Aidilfitri festive period, according to police on Sunday.
The Bukit Aman police website reported that 11 of the dead were motorcyclists, three were motorists and three, pedestrians.
The number of deaths was less than the 24 reported the previous day.
According to the report, the 17 deaths occurred in seven fatal accidents on federal roads, six on municipal roads and one each on state roads and other roads.
It said 9,108 summonses were issued to traffic offenders on Saturday.
Ops Sikap 24 will end on Sept 6. - Bernama