Friday, Aug 24, 2012
MALACCA - Prompt police action foiled the kidnapping of a business tycoon and led to the arrest of five men near the Ayer Keroh toll plaza here after a car chase.
The drama began at about 9.10pm on Wednesday when the multi-millionaire from Bukit Katil, who deals in property, was bundled into a luxury multi-purpose vehicle at the Portuguese Settlement in Ujong Pasir.
The 36-year-old, popularly known as Ah Lang and who has business interests in Singapore, Hong Kong and China, had arrived in his Porsche to discuss a property deal with five people.
According to eyewitnesses, a commotion erupted after he parked his car and he was forced into the MPV and driven away.
Malacca CID chief Asst Comm Raja Sharom Raja Abdullah said police received a distress call at about 9.15pm and sent a patrol car to the scene where the Porsche was parked.
"Reinforcements were called in and an operation was launched immediately to track a black Toyota Alphard and rescue the victim," he added.
In an apparent attempt to mislead police, the abductors called the victim's younger brother, claiming that Ah Lang was at a karaoke in Kuala Lumpur.
The brother, however, told police that Ah Lang was "not the clubbing kind".
"This prompted us to trace all calls made to the brother," ACP Raja Sharom said.
The abductors then brought the businessman to Kuala Lumpur where they demanded HK$20mil (RM10mil) as broker's fee for a land deal in Hong Kong.
The abductors were driving the victim back to Malacca where the settlement was supposed to be discussed further when police spotted the vehicle near the Ayer Keroh toll plaza and gave chase.
The MPV was intercepted at the traffic lights some 800m away at about 5.30am yesterday.
ACP Raja Sharom said the five suspects, aged between 36 and 51, were from Malacca, Johor Baru and Kota Kinabalu.
They have been remanded for four days to facilitate investigations. One of the suspects is known to the victim while another has a criminal record.
ACP Raja Sharom said the businessman was unharmed but police sent him to hospital for medical observation.
Deputy CID chief Supt P.R. Gunarajan, who headed the search and rescue operation, said police tracked the suspects through the phone calls made to the younger brother.
He said police in Kuala Lumpur were alerted and several patrol cars were rushed to the Sungai Besi toll plaza as soon as information was received that the abductors were headed to the city.
"When we learned at 5.20am that the abductors were returning to Malacca and nearing the Ayer Keroh toll plaza, we were ready for them," he said.
MALACCA - Prompt police action foiled the kidnapping of a business tycoon and led to the arrest of five men near the Ayer Keroh toll plaza here after a car chase.
The drama began at about 9.10pm on Wednesday when the multi-millionaire from Bukit Katil, who deals in property, was bundled into a luxury multi-purpose vehicle at the Portuguese Settlement in Ujong Pasir.
The 36-year-old, popularly known as Ah Lang and who has business interests in Singapore, Hong Kong and China, had arrived in his Porsche to discuss a property deal with five people.
According to eyewitnesses, a commotion erupted after he parked his car and he was forced into the MPV and driven away.
Malacca CID chief Asst Comm Raja Sharom Raja Abdullah said police received a distress call at about 9.15pm and sent a patrol car to the scene where the Porsche was parked.
"Reinforcements were called in and an operation was launched immediately to track a black Toyota Alphard and rescue the victim," he added.
In an apparent attempt to mislead police, the abductors called the victim's younger brother, claiming that Ah Lang was at a karaoke in Kuala Lumpur.
The brother, however, told police that Ah Lang was "not the clubbing kind".
"This prompted us to trace all calls made to the brother," ACP Raja Sharom said.
The abductors then brought the businessman to Kuala Lumpur where they demanded HK$20mil (RM10mil) as broker's fee for a land deal in Hong Kong.
The abductors were driving the victim back to Malacca where the settlement was supposed to be discussed further when police spotted the vehicle near the Ayer Keroh toll plaza and gave chase.
The MPV was intercepted at the traffic lights some 800m away at about 5.30am yesterday.
ACP Raja Sharom said the five suspects, aged between 36 and 51, were from Malacca, Johor Baru and Kota Kinabalu.
They have been remanded for four days to facilitate investigations. One of the suspects is known to the victim while another has a criminal record.
ACP Raja Sharom said the businessman was unharmed but police sent him to hospital for medical observation.
Deputy CID chief Supt P.R. Gunarajan, who headed the search and rescue operation, said police tracked the suspects through the phone calls made to the younger brother.
He said police in Kuala Lumpur were alerted and several patrol cars were rushed to the Sungai Besi toll plaza as soon as information was received that the abductors were headed to the city.
"When we learned at 5.20am that the abductors were returning to Malacca and nearing the Ayer Keroh toll plaza, we were ready for them," he said.
