KOTA KINABALU:
Police are looking for a man who impersonated as one of them and fled with RM 1,000 belonging to a technician here last Saturday. The bogus policeman, believed to a local in his 30s, apprehended a 28-year-old IMM13 holder at Centre Point Sabah around 2pm on Jan 19 and demanded to see the latter’s documents. “After pretending to check, he asked the victim to hand over his wallet. The victim obliged. “Seeing the cash, he took it out and returned the wallet to the victim before fleeing,” said City Police Chief ACP Abmad Sofi Zakaria yesterday, adding that the victim had then lodged a police report. Ahmad Sofi said it was important for the public to demand for the authority card of the police when they were approached by them. “Each policemen carries an authority card. If you are approached, it is always good to be suspicious, so demand for the card. “This is the first of such case this year and we hope that public would not be cheated by such bogus policemen in the future .. be careful and wary the next time someone approaches and introduces himself or herself as a police personnel,” he advised. He said police were tracking down the bogus policeman and would not hesitate to take action against those who pull off similar act in the future. In an unrelated case, police arrested two men after a 21-year- old local reported his çellphone was stolen on Jan 11.
Ahmad Sofi said the victim was waiting for transport at a bus stop in Karamunsing around 5.2Opm when two men approached him. “The two men told him they were armed and demanded him to hand over his valuables. After taking the cellphone worth RM800, they fled the area and the victim lodged a police report,” he said. Following a public tip-off, one of the suspects, a 24-year-old local was picked up four days later. He told the police that the stolen goods had been sold for RM280. Police also arrested the buyer, a 32-year-old local man, for possessing stolen goods. “We are not just arresting criminals but also those who are involved. When you buy stolen goods, you are considered an accomplice, and that gives us the right to arrest you as well. “Avoid buying things which are offered to you cheaply, or you may get yourself into trouble,” he said.
