Armed gang escapes with RM500,000 in jewellery after five-minute Kuantan raid

KUANTAN - Four masked men swiftly stole jewelry worth RM500,000 from a goldsmith's shop in Taman Pandan Damai, Kuantan, just five minutes after arriving. District police chief Assistant Commissioner Ashari Abu Samah revealed that the suspects traveled in two motorcycles lacking number plates, likely an attempt to remain unidentified.

No customers were present at the time, only the shop owner's wife and two female employees. The suspects occupied the shop premises for approximately five minutes before fleeing the scene. Police are examining closed-circuit television footage and dashcam recordings to ascertain if the suspects abandoned their motorcycles and replaced them with others.

The four male suspects entered the shop around 2pm armed with a parang and a suspected pump-action firearm. They left their motorcycles outside before entering the premises. There was no security guard present, and it remains unknown whether the alarm was set off. Authorities are currently tracking the suspects' escape routes, considering they might not have traveled far on the motorcycles.

They are also investigating the possibility of additional accomplices. This incident marks the second armed robbery in Pahang this week, following a similar crime in Genting Highlands, Bentong, on August 17th, where three men stole jewelry valued at RM1.7 million. The perpetrators in that case are still at large.