Brickfields police chief Hoo Chang Hook said a team from the Pantai police station was on patrol at Jalan Kampung Pasir at 3.30am when they noticed three men acting suspiciously.

He said a man reported that the suspects had pointed a gun at him and snatched his mobile phone and wallet containing his MyKad.

“The suspects tried to flee on two motorcycles but were quickly apprehended by the police team,” Bernama reported him as saying.

The policemen recovered several items, including an imitation pistol and the victim’s mobile phone and wallet.

They also seized the two motorcycles used by the suspects, aged 26 to 35.

Hoo said the suspects were believed to have been active for the last six months, targeting lone motorcyclists or individuals by introducing themselves as police officers.

“They would brandish the imitation pistol and extort cash or personal items, threatening to take their victims to the police station if they refused to hand them over,” he said.

He said checks also revealed that two of the suspects had a criminal record and were wanted in a case under the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.