PETALING JAYA - MALAYSIAN police believe that one of the three robbers killed in a dramatic shooting by police on Monday was a member of the notorious Mamak Gang.

Selangor Criminal Investigation Department chief Mazlan Mansor said one of the three men shot dead in Taman Mayang was a Malaysian and that he belonged to the notorious gang, the New Straits Times reported.

The other two men were Indonesians.

The drama began when the smartly dressed trio, who were aged between 30 and 50, robbed a bank customer in Kelana Jaya of RM10,000 (S$4,400).

The victim lodged a police report, and detectives spotted the robbers' car 2km away.

Police dispatched seven patrol cars and more than 20 policemen to give chase.

When the robbers ignored an order to pull over, the police opened fire. According to a report in a Chinese newspaper, more than 30 rounds were fired by the police in the whole episode.

Police found a police vest, uniforms, handcuffs and other police outfits in the robbers' car, along with several parangs, toy guns and other weapons.

The getaway car, a Proton Waja, was found to have been stolen.

'We believe that they made the police outfits to be used in their robberies,' Mr Mazlan was quoted as saying in the News Straits Times report.

'This was the Mamak Gang's modus operandi.'

Police added that the local man is believed to be one of the longest-serving members of the Mamak Gang.

According to The Star newspaper, he had been jailed four times before.

The three are believed to be behind at least 30 robberies outside banks.

Selangor police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said the trio would normally commit several robberies before returning to Indonesia, where they would lie low for several months.

'Once the money is finished, they would return for another round of robberies,' he said.