K-Electric substationlooted in unique robbery

Six suspects in KE staff uniform torture watchman, flee with copper wiring, equipment

KARACHI:

In a unique robbery, six armed robbers, posing as K-Electric employees, looted an apartment building sub-station in Gulshan-e-Iqbal and escaped with valuable equipment from a power substation, police said on Sunday.

The robbery took place in Block 13-E during the early hours of Sunday morning. The suspects arrived in a mini truck and a car, dressed in company uniforms, safety helmets and jackets to impersonate K-Electric staff.

Police said the suspects tied the building's watchman and his son to chairs and subjected them to torture during the robbery. Then they removed electric copper wires, transformer bushings for the LT panel, busbars, breakers and other valuable items from the substation.

Residents said the suspects fled after a citizen attempted to film the incident on his mobile phone video.

Police collected CCTV footage along with other evidence. SHO Saud said the robbery was carried out between 7am and 8am and continued for nearly an hour. Preliminary investigation revealed that the truck used in the crime had been stolen from DHA police station limits. Police have launched a search operation with the help of CCTV footage and expressed hope that the suspects will be arrested soon.

Rs647k looted from milk shop

Robbers made off with Rs647,000 in cash and two mobile phones during a robbery at a milk shop in Gulshan-e-Iqbal.

According to police, four suspects were involved in the crime, with one standing guard outside while his three accomplices entered the shop and carried out the robbery.

Police said the suspects were armed and had concealed their faces with helmets and cloth to avoid identification. They managed to flee unchallenged after committing the crime. CCTV footage of the incident has surfaced, showing the suspects' movements during the robbery.

A case has been registered on the complaint of the affected shopkeeper, while police have launched efforts to trace and arrest the suspects.

'Not even meat

shops are safe'

Around a dozen armed robbers riding motorcycles stormed a market in the Samanabad area of Federal B Area and fled after looting cash and mobile phones from several meat shops.

The incident took place in Block 17 where 11 to 12 robbers barged into a market brandishing handguns and targeted at least seven shops, including chicken, beef and mutton shops. The suspects snatched cash worth hundreds of thousands of rupees along with mobile phones from shopkeepers.

Police said the robbers managed to escape towards Gulberg Chorangi without resistance. The suspects were reportedly wearing helmets similar to those used by online bike riders to conceal their identity.

The SHO of Samanabad police station, Rao Shahid, said a case has been registered on the complaint of an affected shopkeeper, while efforts are under way to obtain CCTV footage from the area.