Five suspected robbers arrested after police encounter

As soon as they saw police, suspected muggers opened fire on them

KARACHI:

Five suspected muggers were arrested by Aziz Bhatti police following an alleged encounter near University Road on Sunday. One of their accomplices managed to escape.

Adeel Afzal, SHO Aziz Bhatti police station, said that a six-member gang of robbers used three motorcycles to commit street crimes. They were caught on CCTV cameras while committing crimes. Police received information about the gang and erected a roadblock on University Road.

As soon as they saw police, the suspected muggers opened fire on them. Police gave them a chase while returning the fire. In the end, they arrested five suspected muggers in an injured condition. Police identified them as Abid, Anwar, Aslam, Zubair, and Anwar, while their sixth accomplice, identified as Adeel, managed to escape.

Five TT pistols, bullets, stolen mobile phones and three motorcycles were recovered from the possession of the arrested robbers, which were stolen and snatched from people in the areas of Sir Syed, Baloch Colony, and Saudabad.

The SHO claimed that the arrested suspects were involved in dozens of incidents of street crime. The injured muggers were shifted to Jinnah Hospital for medical assistance where the condition of two is said to be critical.

Meanwhile, suspected muggers robbed a chapati shop in Liaquatabad on Sunday. The CCTV footage of the incident shows the staff busy in making chapatis when two suspected muggers enter the shop. Their faces are covered as one is wearing a helmet while the other has a facemask on. They rob the staff at gunpoint before fleeing the scene comfortably.

According to police, the muggers robbed cash and mobile phones from the staff. Interestingly, a robbery had taken place in the same shop two days ago. Police registered the case and started searching for the suspected muggers.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 23^rd, 2023.