IT was a well-planned robbery akin to the gold theft in the movie "The Italian Job", only this time it was tin, bronze and silver ingots worth RM3 million.($1,226,400)

The 15 robbers had paid off two lorry drivers RM15,000 to drive off with the loot. There were even ready buyers for the loot.

Fast action by the police, however, prevented the grand plan from succeeding.

Barely 48 hours after the robbery, 21 suspects aged between 21 and 50 were arrested.

Three recycling companies in Senai, Seelong and Kulaijaya were raided.

Some RM2 million worth of the ingots weighing seven tonnes and RM29,000 cash were recovered. Three lorries were also seized.

The masked crooks, armed with parangs, had broken into a factory at the Senai Industrial Park in Johor at 10.30pm on Oct 25.

They had tied up a security guard and eight workers and locked them in a toilet.

They also dismantled the closed-circuit TV system before carting away the plates in two lorries.

Johor deputy police chief Senior Asst Comm (I) Datuk Jalaluddin Ab Rahman said the suspects included the two lorry drivers, a middleman, seven buyers and 11 workers.

Police are looking for several more suspects.

Recycling companies have been urged to contact the police should they be approached by suspicious sellers of tin, bronze and silver ingots.