PETALING JAYA: Police have arrested five Chinese nationals believed to be members of a pickpocketing gang suspected of targeting tourists at popular attractions around Melaka.
Melaka Tengah police chief Christopher Patit said the suspects, aged between 29 and 62, were detained in two separate raids carried out in Melaka and Kuala Lumpur, Bernama reported.
He said they were part of a gang called “Geng Guangxi”.
The arrests followed a report on April 25 by a Chinese tourist who lost a wallet containing cash and credit cards at Jonker Walk.
Two suspects were arrested on the same day at Dataran Pahlawan in Banda Hilir. Three more were nabbed at a condominium in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, on April 29.
Police seized seven mobile phones, wallets, foreign identification cards and foreign currencies.
Christopher advised tourists to stay vigilant and take care of their personal belongings when in crowded areas.