'Yoe Gomen Gang' Busted After Targeting Schools, Govt Offices For Cash

MELAKA, June 26 (Bernama) -- Melaka police have busted the 'Yoe Gomen Gang' after eight cases of breaking into schools and government offices in the Melaka Tengah district since April, with the arrest of three members recently.

Melaka Tengah police chief ACP Christopher Patit said all the men, aged 35, 36 and 40, were arrested in a raid on a resort condominium in Tanjung Kling at about 1.50 am on June 21.

He said all the suspects, who are unemployed, targeted school offices, district education offices and several other government offices to steal cash found on the premises, involving a loss of RM9,200.

"The modus operandi of the Yoe Gomen Gang is to break into the premises involved between 1 am and 4.30 am by prying open the office doors, usually the backdoor, using a screwdriver.

"Based on initial investigations and the suspects' confession, six of the eight cases committed by the 'Yoe Gomen Gang' were school offices while the other two were other government offices," he said at a press conference here today.

He said the gang of burglars was also involved in two similar cases in the Alor Gajah and Jasin districts (one each) as well as one case each outside Melaka, in Kelantan, Negeri Sembilan and Kuala Lumpur.

He said the stolen money was used to pay down payment for motorcycles which were then used to commit the crimes.

Christopher said a check of the criminal records of the gang leader, known as Yoe, found that the suspect had 27 prior records, with 24 under Section 457 of the Penal Code for breaking, entering and theft.

He said another gang member known as Fadil, 36, has 15 criminal records under Section 457 of the Penal Code besides two drug cases while his 40-year-old brother known as Awe has six criminal records including one case of break-in and theft.

"On urine screening of the three suspects, one tested positive for methamphetamine," he said.

He said all three suspects were remanded until tomorrow to assist in further investigations under Section 457 of the Penal Code.

In another case, Christopher said based on the detailed interrogation conducted by police on the parents of a nine-year-old physically disabled girl who was suspected of being abused and died on Monday, there is strong evidence linking the two suspects to negligence that led to the victim's death.

"We conducted a polygraph test yesterday and the results were quite positive regarding what the suspects told the police, especially their admission to beating the victim.

"There were indeed old bruises on the victim's body in addition to a broken leg which likely occurred over a month ago, but it was not the main cause of the victim's death," he said.

He said a post-mortem on the victim was conducted by the Melaka Hospital Forensic Department on June 24 and as of now, the cause of the child's death issued by the hospital is 'pending laboratory investigation'.

He said the police would continue to question the two suspects from time to time.

On Monday, media reported that a nine-year-old girl had died at a private hospital here, suspected to be due to abuse.

Following that, on the same day, a couple, who are the victim's biological mother and stepfather, were remanded for seven days from June 24-30 to assist in the investigation.

-- BERNAMA