MELAKA: A local bank suffered damages of RM 5,000 after a disabled man hit his automated teller machine (ATM) with a claw hammer in a failed attempt to steal money.

Melaka Tengah OCPD Asst Comm Afzanizar Ahmad said the 43-year-old suspect recently smashed the ATM machine outside a bank along Jalan Munshi Abdullah between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m.

“At first we were puzzled as to why the suspect broke the ATM machine in an attempt to withdraw money, when a card is usually needed to withdraw money.

“An investigation was opened following a police report filed by the bank’s security guard on the same day,” he said on Monday September 27th.

ACP Afzanizar said police viewed the bank’s CCTV footage before identifying the suspect.

“We managed to locate the suspect and arrested him in less than five hours,” he said.

ACP Afzanizar said police discovered the suspect was registered with the Department of Social Affairs and received the Disabled Persons Card (OKU) due to psychiatric issues.

He said the suspect was under investigation under section 427 of the Criminal Code for committing mischief.

In another development, ACP Afzanizar said his men had succeeded in arresting three men for alleged armed robberies and a reported snatching in the historic town.

He said the gang of thieves known as “Jaya Geng” was led by a 43-year-old man.

ACP Afzanizar said Brain was arrested on September 21, followed by two of his accomplices, a 31-year-old man and a 28-year-old man, in subsequent raids.

He said police managed to solve three robberies and one robbery case with the trio’s arrest.

“The gang has been active since July and the three suspects are in pre-trial detention until September 30,” he added.