FIVE IPOL GANG MEMBERS SHOT DEAD

KUALA LUMPUR, May 11 (Bernama) -- Five Indonesians, who were members of the
Ipol Gang believed to be involved in several robberies in northern Perak-state
and southern Selangor-state in Peninsular Malaysia, were killed in a shoot-out
with police in a forest reserve at Kampung Bahagia Bukit Lagong, Sungai Buloh, near here, Sunday.

Selangor police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said in the 6.15pm incident,
the shoot-out happened after the suspects refused to heed police order to
surrender but instead attacked police with machetes and a pistol.

"The police were forced to fire some shots at the suspects. Four machetes
and a .22 revolver were found at the scene," he told reporters.

Khalid said the five suspects, aged about 25 to 40, were involved in several
robberies in Setiawan (Perak), and in Gombak, Kajang and Kuala Selangor.

"With this shoot-out, police managed to wipe out the Ipol Gang and solve 20
cases. Ipol is the name of the gang leader aged about 30," he revealed.

Khalid said the gang was active since six months ago, and from the police
investigation, two of them had valid travel documents while the other three had
none.

The last robbery committed by the gang was at a VVIP house in Taman Tasik
Kesuma, Semenyih Saturday. The loot is believed to have been sold off.

Khalid said the gang members, using only public transport, would commit the
robberies in the early hours of the day, and would gag and tie up their victims
before escaping with jewellery, cash and food.

The bodies of the five suspects were sent to Sungai Buloh Hospital and
police will find out whether they were also wanted by Indonesian police.

-- BERNAMA