KUALA LUMPUR: After lying low for more than a year, the infamous Deva Gang may have just made a comeback.
Police believe the brazen RM300,000 robbery on an armoured van in Taman Segar, Cheras, on Monday bore hallmarks of the notorious armed bandits.
City deputy CID chief, Khairy Arasa, said the assessment was based on the crew's modus operandi, which was similar to that of a robbery committed in May 2009, also in Taman Segar.
"The similarities are there. Just like in the previous robbery, the suspects wore the security company uniforms when committing the crime hitting their target in front of the premises."
Khairi said the armoured van was abandoned at the same location as in the previous case in 2009.
"We took statements from the three security guards we detained yesterday before releasing them."
Police are now going through CCTV video footage of outlets in the area.
"The one we retrieved so far is not helpful as the view of where the incident took place was blocked," Khairi said.
During the heist on Monday, three man in dark blue uniforms similar to those worn by security guards, were seen walking towards the security van which stopped at Jalan Manis 3, near the Cheras Leisure Mall.
The suspects drew two pistols at the guards and ordered them to exit the van.
As soon as the guards complied, the three suspects drove off in the van which police later found abandoned in a back alley about 120m away. The bag containing RM300,000 was missing.
A pump gun and a pistol belonging to the security guards were also found in the back section of the van.
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Origins of the gang
KUALA LUMPUR: The Deva Gang was at one point known as the country's most wanted band of armed robbers.
The gang was supposedly formed at the Simpang Renggam detention centre more than 15 years ago.
The gang leader was then serving time under preventive laws for crime and robberies when he met two other inmates.
By late 1990s, they were judged to have been "rehabilitated". However, upon their release, they recruited members and focused on wayside robberies and stealing luxury cars.
Striking in several states, the gang carried out at least 14 cases of car-jackings within months. Police killed four members in a shoot-out in Taman Kepong Baru in October 2005. Five other gang members were arrested in a follow-up operation in Jinjang and are now serving time in Simpang Renggam.
A month after that shoot-out, the three main leaders of the gang re-grouped, recruited new members and went on another crime spree.
In June 2006,10 Deva gang members, in four sports utility vehicles, engaged in a 10-minute gunfight with 11 guards in front of the Securicor office in Jalan Kristal L7/7 in Shah Alam.
They grabbed seven bags containing RM2.3m from an armoured van.
More than 35 shots were fired in the 6.30am shootout. The robbers left the security van and nearby shop fronts riddled with bullets.
The RM8.24m cash-intransit robbery at a shopping centre in Cheras was also committed by the gang.
During its crime spree since November 2005, the gang is believed to have obtained about RM20m in ill-gotten gains.
Investigations into the Cheras heist, together with RM3.5m heist at the KL International Airport in April 2009, were closed following the death of Victor Thomas (pic) @ Selladurai @ V.T., one of the founding gang members.
He was shot dead by police in Penang on Nov 13, 2009.
Police believe the brazen RM300,000 robbery on an armoured van in Taman Segar, Cheras, on Monday bore hallmarks of the notorious armed bandits.
City deputy CID chief, Khairy Arasa, said the assessment was based on the crew's modus operandi, which was similar to that of a robbery committed in May 2009, also in Taman Segar.
"The similarities are there. Just like in the previous robbery, the suspects wore the security company uniforms when committing the crime hitting their target in front of the premises."
Khairi said the armoured van was abandoned at the same location as in the previous case in 2009.
"We took statements from the three security guards we detained yesterday before releasing them."
Police are now going through CCTV video footage of outlets in the area.
"The one we retrieved so far is not helpful as the view of where the incident took place was blocked," Khairi said.
During the heist on Monday, three man in dark blue uniforms similar to those worn by security guards, were seen walking towards the security van which stopped at Jalan Manis 3, near the Cheras Leisure Mall.
The suspects drew two pistols at the guards and ordered them to exit the van.
As soon as the guards complied, the three suspects drove off in the van which police later found abandoned in a back alley about 120m away. The bag containing RM300,000 was missing.
A pump gun and a pistol belonging to the security guards were also found in the back section of the van.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Origins of the gang
KUALA LUMPUR: The Deva Gang was at one point known as the country's most wanted band of armed robbers.The gang was supposedly formed at the Simpang Renggam detention centre more than 15 years ago.
The gang leader was then serving time under preventive laws for crime and robberies when he met two other inmates.
By late 1990s, they were judged to have been "rehabilitated". However, upon their release, they recruited members and focused on wayside robberies and stealing luxury cars.
Striking in several states, the gang carried out at least 14 cases of car-jackings within months. Police killed four members in a shoot-out in Taman Kepong Baru in October 2005. Five other gang members were arrested in a follow-up operation in Jinjang and are now serving time in Simpang Renggam.
A month after that shoot-out, the three main leaders of the gang re-grouped, recruited new members and went on another crime spree.
In June 2006,10 Deva gang members, in four sports utility vehicles, engaged in a 10-minute gunfight with 11 guards in front of the Securicor office in Jalan Kristal L7/7 in Shah Alam.
They grabbed seven bags containing RM2.3m from an armoured van.
More than 35 shots were fired in the 6.30am shootout. The robbers left the security van and nearby shop fronts riddled with bullets.
The RM8.24m cash-intransit robbery at a shopping centre in Cheras was also committed by the gang.
During its crime spree since November 2005, the gang is believed to have obtained about RM20m in ill-gotten gains.
Investigations into the Cheras heist, together with RM3.5m heist at the KL International Airport in April 2009, were closed following the death of Victor Thomas (pic) @ Selladurai @ V.T., one of the founding gang members.
He was shot dead by police in Penang on Nov 13, 2009.
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