SEPANG, March 14 -- Three foreign men, suspected of being part of a violent robbery gang, were shot dead by police in a forested area in Desa Vista early this morning.

According to a New Straits Times report, the suspects, aged between 35 and 40, had been linked to 17 cases of robbery and burglary across Selangor, Negri Sembilan, and Kuala Lumpur since early last year.

Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department Deputy Director Datuk Fadil Marsus said the incident began when a homeowner spotted the masked suspects armed with machetes after their attempted robbery triggered a security alarm.

The suspects fled into a forested area near a water tank, prompting police to deploy a special team to track them down.

"In response, the police ...