JOHOR BARU: What was supposed to be a routine transaction between a luxury watch seller and a customer turned into a violent robbery when six parang-wielding men barged in and made off with RM500,000 in loot.

       Jimmy Chai, who runs an online luxury watch store, said the meeting was supposed to take place in a private room of a restaurant in Taman Mount Austin here at 1.30pm on Wednesday (June 8).

       He said two weeks ago, a man got in touch with him via social media to buy two Rolex watches and paid a deposit of RM4,000 to reserve the timepieces.

       A meet-up was then arranged by the customer where he was to make the remaining payment in exchange for the watches, said Chai, 27.

       “When my two employees and a bodyguard arrived at the restaurant, they notified the customer of their arrival by text message. Shortly after they sent it, six men with parangs barged into the private room and demanded the watches.

       “They also slashed one of my employees and forced him to remove the Rolex watch he was wearing,” he told The Star in an interview on Thursday (June 9).

       He said the suspects then fled the scene with the three timepieces, worth about RM500,000 in total.

       He added that his injured employee was sent to the hospital for medical attention.

       Chai said he hoped police would be able to retrieve the stolen watches.

       Johor Baru South OCPD Asst Comm Raub Selamat said police are still looking for the suspects.

       He added that investigations are ongoing under Section 395/397 of the Penal Code for armed robbery.

       Those with information on the matter should go to the nearest police station or call the Johor police hotline at 07-221 2999.