Melaka Tengah district police chief Christopher Patit said the 35-year-old suspect was arrested on Wednesday following a police report by her husband who claimed the cash kept in two safes at his home was missing.

“At about 6.30pm on Jan 4, the 37-year-old businessman returned to his home in Permatang Pasir, Alai from Kuala Lumpur and checked the two safes on the second and third floor and found that the cash, which was part of his business earnings, was missing.

“The amount of cash in the two safes was approximately RM520,000. Besides this, the safes also contained jewellery belonging to the complainant’s mother,” he said in a statement.

According to Patit, the complainant runs a licensed money-lending business and told the police there was no damage to the safes and that he suspected his wife of stealing the cash.

Patit said that when interrogated, the suspect denied being involved in the alleged theft and lodged a police report to that effect.

“The suspect also claimed to have given some RM280,000 to her brother-in-law at a petrol station in Semabok. The brother-in-law had also lodged a report stating he had received that amount.”

Patit added that the police seized an iPhone 12 Pro Max mobile phone from the suspect and remanded her for two days before releasing her on police bail.

He said the case was being investigated under Section 380 of the Penal Code for theft in dwellings.