Kuala Lumpur, May 21 : Looks like money is not always the first choice for thieves, at least not in the case of these Malaysian burglars who chose sex over cash when they struck at a housing estate.

Wearing only underwear and facemasks, the five men broke into a house, tied up its four occupants, then searched the house for the Indonesian maid instead of the loot.

When they found the maid not to their "taste", they beat her up and then robbed the entire family.

Miri police are now looking for the group of foreigners who escaped with more than RM10,000 in cash and belongings.

The incident happened on May 19 at the Morsjaya commercial centre outside the city centre.

The victims, who lodged a report at the Miri Central Police Station, said the robbers broke into the house in the wee hours of the morning.

"They were searching for the Indonesian maid who lives in the house. They found the maid, but after looking at her, they beat her up with the handle of the parang they were carrying," The Star Online quoted a police source, as saying.