Hot pursuit: Too fast for the cops
Robbers snatch Rs5m at gunpoint, dodge the police.
ISLAMABAD:
Armed gunmen on Thursday snatched over Rs5 million from a man in sector I-8/2. Police chased the robbers but could only impound the car used in the robbery after a brief exchange of fire.
Malik Abdul Rasheed told the Industrial area police that he had withdrawn Rs5.3 million from a bank in sector I-9 and was going to his office. He was intercepted by three armed men in a white Suzuki Mehran car in sector I-8/2. Holding him at gunpoint, the robbers snatched the cash and fled on their car.
Rasheed immediately informed the police about the incident and told them the registration number of the robbers’ car. Police said they had plugged all possible exit points from the area and the nearest police mobile headed for the area to nab the vehicle.
Police were able to locate the robbers on IJ Principal Road near the Sabzi Mandi (Fruit and Vegetable Market). “The robbers opened fire at the chasing police party who retaliated,” said police. After a brief chase, the police lost the robbers, only for a few minutes, near British Homes, a residential area in Rawalpindi across the IJP Road.
They had abandoned their vehicle and entered a street with the police party on their scent. The street they entered proved to be closed at the end and the cornered robbers forced themselves into a house to dodge the police. “The owner of the house also resisted them and refused to cooperate,” said a police official. “The robbers fled from the house through a rear side window without wasting much time,” he added.
The police impounded the car used in the robbery and its particulars were sent for identification to ascertain the owner of the car. It was suspected that the robbers were using a rented car with original registration number, which would provide some clues to the police and help in tracing them.
A police official also claimed that one of the three robbers had sustained injuries, however, this claim could not be verified. A case was registered in the Industrial area police station and further investigations were underway.
“Rasheed was an employee of a news channel and the amount stolen was withdrawn from the bank to pay salaries to the staff,” said a police official.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 28th, 2011.
Armed gunmen on Thursday snatched over Rs5 million from a man in sector I-8/2. Police chased the robbers but could only impound the car used in the robbery after a brief exchange of fire.
Malik Abdul Rasheed told the Industrial area police that he had withdrawn Rs5.3 million from a bank in sector I-9 and was going to his office. He was intercepted by three armed men in a white Suzuki Mehran car in sector I-8/2. Holding him at gunpoint, the robbers snatched the cash and fled on their car.
Rasheed immediately informed the police about the incident and told them the registration number of the robbers’ car. Police said they had plugged all possible exit points from the area and the nearest police mobile headed for the area to nab the vehicle.
Police were able to locate the robbers on IJ Principal Road near the Sabzi Mandi (Fruit and Vegetable Market). “The robbers opened fire at the chasing police party who retaliated,” said police. After a brief chase, the police lost the robbers, only for a few minutes, near British Homes, a residential area in Rawalpindi across the IJP Road.
They had abandoned their vehicle and entered a street with the police party on their scent. The street they entered proved to be closed at the end and the cornered robbers forced themselves into a house to dodge the police. “The owner of the house also resisted them and refused to cooperate,” said a police official. “The robbers fled from the house through a rear side window without wasting much time,” he added.
The police impounded the car used in the robbery and its particulars were sent for identification to ascertain the owner of the car. It was suspected that the robbers were using a rented car with original registration number, which would provide some clues to the police and help in tracing them.
A police official also claimed that one of the three robbers had sustained injuries, however, this claim could not be verified. A case was registered in the Industrial area police station and further investigations were underway.
“Rasheed was an employee of a news channel and the amount stolen was withdrawn from the bank to pay salaries to the staff,” said a police official.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 28th, 2011.