PPOLICE NAB MOST MEMBERS OF FILIPINO PICKPOCKET GANG

KUALA LUMPUR, July 11 (Bernama) -- Police have arrested nine of 14 members
of a Filipino gang of pickpockets preying on foreigners in tourist haunts in the
city.

Dang Wangi District police chief ACP Zulkarnain Abdul Rahman said four
members of the gang, known as "Mangkui", were arrested in a condominium outside
the city yesterday morning and the other five at The Mall shopping complex in
the evening.

The police were still looking for the leader of the gang whom they believe
to be still in the country, he told reporters at his office, here.

Zulkarnain said police seized two laptops, a video camera, four cameras,
five Filipino passports, 13 purses, two pouch bags, five receipts of a pawnshop
with the goods valued at RM4,165, three mobile phone SIM cards, a jade stone,
two watches, various foreign currency notes and several mobile phones during the
raid on the condominium.

"The goods seized are estimated to be worth more than RM30,000 and the
suspects will be remanded for 10 days and investigated under Section 279 of the
Penal Code," he said.

Zulkarnain said the gang comprised eight men and six women aged between 30
and 53 and preyed on foreigners at bus shelters in Lebuh Ampang, the Kuala
Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) Light Rail Transit station and Bintang Walk.

He said the gang usually operated in groups of five or six people.
(US$1=RM3.53)
-- BERNAMA