RAWANG, MALAYSIA: A businessman and his wife on their way home were robbed of RM70,000 by a group of men yesterday.

In the 11.45am robbery at Bandar Tasik Puteri, the robbers tailed and chased their victims in two cars for about 10km.

Syed Mohammed Izhar Syed Sebir, 31, the managing director of a labour outsourcing company, had withdrawn the money from a bank to pay the salaries of his employees.

After returning to his car, where his wife, Azlina Hamid, 24, was waiting, Syed Mohammed Izhar said he locked the money in the glove compartment before driving off.

It was only about halfway through his journey home that he realised he was being tailed by two cars - a BMW and a Honda Accord.

"I sped off but they started speeding after my car. I called some of my employees but no one was available."

The chase ended when Syed Mohammed Izhar lost control of his car, which careened into a ditch near Bandar Tasik Puteri.

A group of eight to nine men then alighted from the cars and began smashing the windows of the victim's car with a parang, a crowbar and a steel pipe.

"They kept asking us where the money was, as if they already knew we had a large sum with us."

He finally told them where the money was after one of the robbers threatened him with the parang.

In addition to the money, the couple also lost two handphones and Azlina's handbag containing credit cards and other valuables.

The couple later lodged a report at the Batu Arang police station.