Foreign thieves walk away with diamonds and jewellery at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, KLIA

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In Malaysia, all it took was a tap on the shoulder by professional thieves and millions will be lost.

2 Hong Kong exhibitors lost about RM 1.6 million worth of diamonds and jewellery at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, KLIA on Monday, 11 July 2011.

The two separate incidents, which took place 45 minutes apart, began at 8am when one of them was approached by someone who appeared to be a Latin American.

“He was waiting for his three friends who had gone to the restroom. He had his bag of jewellery on the trolley. He turned around when a Latin American man patted him on the shoulder but he could not understand the language used,” Selangor CID chief senior assistant commissioner of police, SAC Mohd Adnan Abdullah said.

After the man left, the victim found two bags containing RM257,000 worth of diamonds and jewellery missing, he said.

SAC Mohd Adnan said the man, who was supposed to board a flight back to Hong Kong, was a participant of the Malaysia International Jewellery Fair which was held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from July 7 to 10, 2011.

Later at 8.45am the same day, another jeweller lost diamonds and gems worth RM 1.4million at the McDonald's restaurant in the same airport.

“It is believed that it was the same syndicate as the modus operandi was similar although we have no evidence to confirm it so far,” said SAC Mohd Adnan.

“The man was seated at a table while his friend went to the counter to buy food. His bag was on the floor by the table. A woman, also a Latin American, tapped him on the shoulder and when he turned around, it is believed that an accomplice switched his bag with another,” said SAC Adnan.

The victim was also a participant of the same jewellery fair.

On Tuesday evening, 12th July 2011, police nabbed four Guatemalan men who were suspected to be linked to the first theft. They were caught in front of Amcorp Mall, Petaling Jaya.

On Wednesday 13th July 2011, police detained another Guatemalan man, who was believed to be linked to the second case, in Bandar Sunway.

SAC Mohd Adnan said all the suspects had entered Malaysia on social visit passes on various dates.

In April 2011, a group of men walked away unnoticed with gems worth about RM 3 million from a jewellery exhibition at a mall in Petaling Jaya.

They pretended to be customers, distracting the staff by asking them questions while their accomplice sneaked to the back and stole a bag of jewellery.

It was closing time then and staff were in the midst of packing the jewellery. They only realised the bag was missing several minutes after the thieves left.