Five Men With Parang Rob Diners Of RM29,745 At ‘Safe’ Restaurant

Five Men With Parang Rob Diners Of RM29,745 At ‘Safe’ Restaurant - Diners thought they were eating at a seemingly secure commercial area in Taman Melawati when five men with parang stormed into the restaurant and snatched the belongings of everyone there.

The Saturday night robbery was shocking in that the five robbers not only conducted the robbery in a brazen manner, the area only has one entrance and exit for vehicles and a parking ticket is needed to gain entry.

The restaurant is also located next to a financial institution where there is 24-hour security.

Recounting the drama, restaurant manager Muhd Ainul Yakin, 22, said his staff were busy at the time and did not notice the unwelcome guests.

“Four tables were occupied at the front area. Another two were also taken up,” he said.

“There were six staff, including myself, at the time,” he said.

“I was about to serve a customer rice when suddenly, a man wearing a helmet pushed open the door really hard. All of us were shocked,” he said.

Muhd Ainul said three of the accomplices approached the customers’ tables and grabbed their belongings. Another went over to the cash register and emptied it.

“We were unable to do anything,” Muhd Ainul said.

Somehow, the alarm system next door went off, causing the robbers to flee.

As they fled, one of them moved the tables at the front of the restaurant to block the door, claiming that the restaurant did not pay “protection money”.

This, he said, was surprising, as no one had asked them for such money since the restaurant opened seven months ago.

Muhd Ainul said that the robbery lasted mere minutes.

“We are glad that no one was hurt,” he said.

The restaurant has since installed a security system at its door. Entry is only possible if the staff allows it by pressing a button.

Ampang Jaya OCPD Asst Comm Hamzah Alias said in a statement on Sunday that the criminals robbed eight diners at the time.

The total amount of cash and valuables taken was about RM29,745. Video footage of the robbery has since gone viral.