Sword-wielding family steal cigarettes and chocolate

A 49-year-old Malaysian taxi driver took along his wife and five children, including a baby girl, to rob a petrol station in Bandar Baru Permas Jaya on Saturday. Although he armed his three sons and a daughter, aged between 8 and 15, with swords, all they took were cigarettes and chocolates.

Wearing kopiah (skull caps) and jubah, the man and his sons brandished the weapons and tried to attack a police team as they made their getaway. They then led police on a nine-mile chase before surrendering. Johor Baru South police chief Assistant Commissioner Zainuddin Yaacob described the case as "off the wall" as it involved the whole family, including minors.

"While his wife and baby waited in his taxi, the man and his four older children robbed the petrol station, with his eight-year-old keeping lookout while holding onto a sword," he said. "The other three accompanied their father into the petrol station, armed with swords, and robbed the shop of four packs of cigarettes and chocolates."

Zainuddin said police, who were trailing the family, tried to stop the taxi driver but that he waved his weapon at them before getting into his car and leading police on a nine-mile chase before surrendering. "We seized six swords, a vegetable knife and a wooden baton from the suspects," he added.