According to Puchong Indah traders’ group chairman Wong Voon Sun, robberies are a constant occurrence in the area, where they have been operating for almost 20 years.

“The traders start setting up stalls in the early morning hours while it is still dark. This is when robbers like to take advantage,” he said, adding that the police should come to the area more often around this time.

Wong also highlighted two recent cases where a woman and a restaurant owner were robbed.

“The worst incident I heard of happened on Oct 28, 2014, where a vegetable seller was robbed and had her arm slashed,” he added.

In that incident, media reports quoted police officers who said the suspect had approached the victim as she was closing her stall in the afternoon.

The victim handed over RM3,000 to the suspect but he was not satisfied and slashed her right arm as well.

Despite their claims of frequent robberies, though, few traders have taken their woes to the police.

Kinrara assemblyman Ng Sze Han said this was because they thought it was an inconvenience.

“I have heard their grouses and advised them to file a complaint to the police if they are living in fear every day.

“No point lamenting about police inaction when the police are not aware of their predicament,” he said after visiting the market.

On Monday, some traders appeared to take Ng’s advice by lodging a report after two of them were robbed last Friday. One of them also had his car window smashed.

Ng said he had submitted a picture of the suspected robber and expressed hope that this would help police arrest the culprit.