KOTA TINGGI, 19 June 2020:
An armed man who took a woman hostage during an attempted robbery at a bank at Felda Ayer Tawar 5 here was shot dead by a security guard yesterday.
Johor CID chief SAC Md Yusof Ahmad said in the 2.04pm incident, the 19-year-old man had entered the bank and put a sickle to the neck of a female customer.
“From the closed-circuit television (CCTV) recording and witness statements, we found that the suspect came alone and suddenly grabbed the woman, who was in front of the bank, as a hostage.
“Before the victim could enter, the suspect pulled the roller shutters and threw a bag, saying he wants money while placing the sickle on her neck.”
At this juncture, the security guard in the bank opened fire with his pump gun from about five metres away as the suspect was behaving aggressively, he added.
“The suspect was hit in the right ribs and died on the spot.”
He said none of the bank staff or customers were injured in the incident and preliminary investigations showed the suspect did not have any criminal records.
As for the female hostage, it was her mother’s knee pain that had saved Mardiah Mat Ripi, 26.
When met at their house in Kampung Belading Baru, Telok Sengat, late last night, Mardiah was clearly still traumatised by the incident.
The 56-year-old mother, Ratnah Ahab, said during the 2pm incident, she and Mardiah were queueing up for their turns at the bank counter when the man wearing a black t-shirt and a face mask grabbed Mardiah from behind and held her hostage at sicklepoint.
“I was shocked. There were only six people in the bank including us.”
Before anyone else could enter the premises, the suspect pulled the roller shutters and threw a bag to bank staff, saying he wants money.
Ratnah said she begged the robber not to harm her daughter, but the man said he only needed RM20,000 and with the sickle he had on Mardiah’s neck, he threatened to hurt her if the bank refused to fulfil his demand.
“He then released Mardiah and grabbed me instead, but I fell and could not get up due to the knee pain which I already had for some time.
“It was at this juncture, I heard a gunshot and saw the suspect fell to the floor with blood on his body. Another customer then quickly took the sickle away from his hand.”
– Bernama