A woman not only fended off an attempt by a truncheon-wielding thief to snatch her handbag, but also managed to overpower him in an incident in front of a kindergarten in Taman Seri Emas, Nibong Tebal yesterday.

South Seberang Perai (SPS) district police chief Shafee Abdul Samad said the woman, 47, had just arrived at the kindergarten belonging to her daughter at about 7.30am and was going to a shop nearby to buy breakfast when a man approached and attempted to snatch her handbag.

"The man attacked the woman with a truncheon. The woman fought back and wrested the truncheon from him, forcing him to retreat, but she went after him," he added.

He said neighbours who heard the commotion then went to the woman's aid and helped to apprehend the suspect, believed to be involved in several robbery and snatch theft cases in the district.

Meanwhile, in TAWAU, three men were detained in separate raids in Kampung Titingan early today on suspicion of being involved in snatch thefts reported at Jalan Persisiran on Wednesday.

Tawau district police chief Fadil Marsus said the men, who are unemployed and aged between 19 and 28, did not have any personal documents.

"One of the suspects has being jailed 11 times for various offences while another was detained for lending his motorcycle to the two suspects," he said in a statement today.

- Bernama