Malaysian mall gunman killed in shoot-out after Grand Theft Auto-style crime spree

‘Ah Boy’, who shot a cleaner at a mall in Setia Alam last week, was responsible for at least 15 robberies since last year, police said

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Shoppers are seen gathered outside Setia City Mall in Malaysia on February 8 after a shooting at the shopping centre. Photo: X/skynewsagra

Published: 3:04pm, 18 Feb 2025

A man who shot a cleaner at a shopping centre in Malaysia last week would carjack victims at gunpoint and use the stolen vehicles to commit other crimes in a pattern reminiscent of the video game series Grand Theft Auto, police said on Tuesday.

The gunman, known as “Ah Boy”, was killed in a shoot-out early on Tuesday morning. He was responsible for at least 15 robberies since the middle of last year, Selangor police chief Hussein Omar Khan told reporters.

“He committed his first theft in 2014. Sometimes he worked in groups, but since last year he operated solo. Among his crimes were robberies at goldsmiths in Kajang and Klang,” Hussein said during a press conference at the Pulau Ketam Jetty on Tuesday.

After the shooting at the mall in Setia Alam, the suspect fled to Melaka by forcing an e-hailing driver to take him there, the police chief said.

Police carry “Ah Boy” in a body bag in this still from a social media video after he was killed in a shoot-out early on Tuesday morning. Photo: X/beritartm

“He was there for five days before going to Banting, Selangor. Two days ago, he broke into a house in Sabak Bernam and stole a motorcycle,” Hussein said.

“We believe he forced lorry and e-hailing drivers to drive him along the way, including to Klang before heading to Pulau Ketam.”