In a shocking incident in Alor Setar, Kedah, four criminals fleeing from a series of break-ins in Johor collided with and fatally injured a police officer during a botched getaway.
The incident occurred at about 3:30pm on 7 August at a location known as Bukit Gajah. According to Kedah Police Chief Azri, officers responded promptly to a report of a break-in, dispatching two vehicles with a total of five police personnel.
Upon arrival, the officers spotted one suspect moving a safe inside a house. The suspect was seated in a blue Lexus, joined by three others inside the vehicle. As one officer alighted to investigate, the driver accelerated and rammed the officer, killing him instantly. The car forced its way between two police vehicles, damaging three cars in the process.
While one suspect was apprehended on the scene, the other three sped away northwards for about seven kilometres to Raia Hotel in Kampung Pati, where their vehicle broke down. The fleeing suspects then carjacked a civilian’s vehicle—a couple were inside at the time, with the male driver forced out—before abandoning that car after a crash near a government clinic in the area. The trio was later arrested.
The four suspects, aged between 24 and 26, have extensive criminal records, with the 26-year-old identified as the ringleader holding 77 prior offences. Charges include burglary, vehicle theft, and drug-related crimes.
The police have launched investigations under burglary and murder statutes and will seek to extend detention orders for the suspects. Coordination with Johor police is ongoing to uncover any accomplices.
The deceased officer, Sergeant Mohammad Hafiz, 35, had served in the force for 15 years and leaves behind three young children aged 4, 9, and 11. The police chief expressed deep sorrow over the loss.