NZ ex-pat in Malaysia burgled of $120,000 in belongings over two weeks

The burglary occurred at the home of a New Zealand man living in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Photo / Pawel Szymankiewicz

A Kiwi ex-pat living in Malaysia returned home from a New Zealand visit to find he'd been burgled of nearly $120,000 in belongings over a two-week heist.

The 68-year-old man lost about RM320,000 (NZ$118,000) in items when his three-storey bungalow in Jalan Bukit Pantai, Kuala Lumpur, was broken into while he was away on a month-long holiday, the Malaysian National News Agency (BERNAMA) reported.

He only realised the burglary after he returned to the house on August 1 after being in New Zealand.

Kuala Lumpur deputy police chief Datuk Roslan Bek Ahmad said police had taken several fingerprints at the scene and a 39-year-old Malaysian man had been arrested.

The man was a scrap dealer, Ahmad said, and after his arrest police recovered some of the items belonging to the NZ man, including a laptop, an electronic exercise bicycle and scanner.

The suspect, who had four previous records for house breaking and drug-related offences, tested positive for drugs.

He was in remand until August 12 to facilitate investigation, Ahmad said.

Malaysia newspaper The Sun Daily reported the heist occurred over a two-week period.

Police were able to recover RM140,000 (NZ$52,000) worth of stolen items.