SHAH ALAM: No elements of kidnapping were found in the incident involving a 19-month-old girl and two foreign nationals at a supermarket near Klang Sentral last Monday.
Selangor police chief Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said investigations and examination of closed-circuit television recordings at the supermarket revealed that the incident was a result of a misunderstanding.
"The investigations found that during the incident, the victim, along with her mother and aunt, were using the escalator which had malfunctioned and the supposed victim was having difficulties going up the stairs.
"Coincidentally, the two foreign men near the girl had carried the toddler with the intention of helping her.
"However, this action was misunderstood by the girl's mother, who thought that her child was being abducted by the men," he said at a press conference at the Selangor police contingent headquarters (IPK) today.
He said further investigations revealed that the two foreign men were legally employed at a nearby factory and frequently visited the supermarket to purchase necessities.
He also said the men also did not try to flee the scene when they were detained by the public, and further checks found no evidence of preparations for an abduction in the supermarket, such as vehicles to take the victim away.
"Nevertheless, we will complete the investigation papers and hand them over to the deputy public prosecutor for further action.
"I also advise the public not to casually hold other people's children, especially those not known to them, as it can lead to misunderstandings and panic," he said.
Media reports last Monday said a mother experienced a terrifying moment when she claimed that her baby daughter was nearly taken away by two foreign men at a supermarket.
On the discovery of more than RM500,000 in a luggage bag found in a car park of a shopping centre in Damansara last week, Hussein said the claimant had yet to come forward to provide statements.
"Previously, we received a report from a man claiming that the money belonged to his company.
"However, he has not come forward to provide statements and evidence proving that it is his money until now.
"At this time, he has promised to come and provide statements on March 30, which is tomorrow. After recording the conversation, we will examine the evidence presented to determine if the money indeed belongs to his company," he said.
