Most people are scared off by its history and reputation, but not foreign criminals.
Knowing that the place, especially the jungle behind the two other abandoned blocks, is rarely visited, these criminals turned it into their hideout.
They even built two small huts as their place to meet and plan their next criminal activity, mostly to break into houses of the rich around Bukit Antarabangsa.
On the map, the criminal hideout is not far from the elite residential areas of Taman Hillview, Taman Sri Ukay, Villa Sri Ukay, Tropicana Villa, Taman Bukit Utama, and Taman Puncak Bukit Utama.
Ampang Jaya police chief Hamzah Alias said police discovered the hideout, about 2km from the abandoned blocks, during a raid in March, in which a foreign national, in his 50s, was arrested.
Further investigations also found that the huts were quite complete with sleeping area, kitchen with food supply to ensure the criminals’ survival in the area. Several parang and stolen items such as jewellery were buried around the area.
“We believe these criminals are keeping the items until they reach certain amount or value before being distributed among the gang members,” he told Bernama.
Hamzah said the criminals would leave the hideout temporarily after they buried the loot, before coming back to plan another house-breaking activity.
The criminals were also believed to be practicing black magic and their modus operandi was to leave human waste and eat food at the victim’s house to strengthen their black magic power, he said.
Hamzah said the discovery of the hideout had led the police to six notorious criminals, three of whom were shot dead in a shootout at the Highland Towers on April 12.
However, the three others managed to escape.
Hamzah said two of the dead criminals also had previous records related to house breaking and theft.
The gang was believed to have been active over the past two years and was involved in at least 26 robbery cases in Selangor involving losses of RM545,900, he said, adding at the efforts were being done to track down the escaped suspects.
– BERNAMA