The three men, believed to be in their 40s, were shot dead about 3.30am along Jalan Jimah Lama following the shootout with a police team from the Serious Crimes Investigation Division (D9) of the Negeri Sembilan police, said state police chief DCP Jaafar Mohd Yusof.

Police seized a Glock pistol, four long parangs, three black masks, three pairs of gloves, a black sling bag, screwdrivers, wire-cutters, six false car registration plates, five gold chains, 18 gold bracelets, 14 gold brooches and a gold locket, he said.

Jaafar said a D9 team on patrol along Jalan Jimah Lama-Mambau became suspicious about a Proton Perdana car and ordered the vehicle to stop, but the driver sped off.

Police gave chase and cornered the car, forcing it to skid and hit the curb.

Speaking at a press conference, Jaafar said the driver alighted and fired several shots at the police while two other men emerged from the car with parangs and tried to attack the police.

“In self-defence, the policemen returned fire,” he said, adding that all three men were killed.

All the 12 policemen involved in the incident were unhurt, he said.

Jaafar said the Proton Perdana car was reported stolen in Klang in 2014, and the three men were believed to have been involved in four robberies and housebreakings — two in Senawang and two in Nilai — besides several other crimes in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur.