NIBONG TEBAL: An engineer was robbed of his Mitsubishi Evolution VIII (Evo) in Simpang Ampat here on Monday. Police said the victim had stopped in front of a grocery shop in Taman Tambun Indah when a Mercedes Benz with three men pulled up beside him at 4.50pm.

One of them threatened the victim with a parang while his accomplices jumped into the Evo and sped off.

The armed robber then followed in the Mercedes Benz.

"We received a report at 6pm and a team from Seberang Prai Selatan district police headquarters went to a house in Taman Sintar Jaya here about 12.40am on Tuesday," a source said.

The team spotted the Mercedes Benz with two men in front of a double-storey house.

"One of the suspects rushed into the Evo, which was parked in the house, and sped off, followed by the Mercedes Benz."

The policemen tried to stop the suspects by firing several shots at the vehicles.

The suspects headed towards the Jawi interchange of the North-South Expressway where they gave police the slip by escaping in a third car believed to have been driven by an accomplice.

State criminal investigation chief Datuk Abdul Samah Mat confirmed the case and said police had mounted an operation to trace the suspects.

He urged those who came across anyone seeking treatment for gunshot wounds to inform the police.

"We believe the suspect who drove the Mitsubishi Evo was injured," he said yesterday.

Samah said the Mamak gang could be involved but declined to elaborate.