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| Sunday, 18 December 2005 |
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Young robber gang apprehended Crime Sunday by Jayampathy Jayasinghe Several Police stations in the Western Province were alarmed when a wave of robberies were reported from Piliyandala, Mount Lavina, Moratuwa and Colombo last September. The robbers attacked several business establishments, jewellery shops and robbed expensive Cellular mobile phones, gold chains, rings earrings worth more than Rs. 1 million. Police initially suspected it to be the handiwork of local underworld men. But soon they dispelled their thoughts when they learnt that the bad boys were already behind bars serving jail sentences. But then who could have committed such brazen acts without the knowledge of the local police? The thoughts often crossed the minds of policemen detailed to investigate the robbery. However information regarding the robbers and their hideouts were not forthcoming and was still a mystery to them. As the frequency of robberies increased day by day, the OICs' of local police stations in Colombo and its suburbs deployed additional patrols day and night to nab the robbers. But the police weren't successful at all in unravelling the mystery due to various reasons. Lack of information about the marauding gang was not forthcoming. The whole operation was now at cross roads and nothing happening. CCD investigations It was at this stage the Colombo Crime Division (CCD) was directed to take over the investigations. The CCD was now saddled with the task of finding the key to the riddle. Under the supervision of its Director, SSP, Sarath Lugoda, several teams of plain clothes men with Inspector Rajapakse in charge were despatched to various places like Piliyandala, Mount Lavinia, Athidiya and Colombo to collect information about the gang and to apprehend them as early as possible. It was by no means an easy task to find them. The sleuths posed off as vendors, and small time businessmen lurking around street corners meeting informants and gathering information on the unknown gang. But surprisingly the local underworld men had no knowledge about them. However the sleuths were lucky when an informant tipped them off that a man from Aththidiya Badowitta, was in possession of stolen gold jewellery and cellular phones. The stolen goods were all hidden at his home. The sleuths after arresting the man learnt that he was a member of the four man gang responsible for several robberies. Four member gang Police questioned the man and learnt that the jewellery was robbed from young couples visiting the Bellanwila temple. Most of them had not even complained to the police for various reasons. They also found that most gold jewellery had been pawned at reputed Banks and at reputed pawn brokering shops in Colombo and its suburbs. At last the police were able to unmask the four member gang that struck terror in Piliyandala, Mount Lavinia, Aththidiya and in Bambalapitiya and Wellawatte. Except for one man from Angulana, others were total strangers to the Police. They had not been arrested before for any grave crime. The man from Angulana was arrested on a previous occassion for robbery of cash from the Angulana petrol filling station. He was boarded in a home at Angulana. The other men were from Ambalangoda, Nawalapitiya and Aththidiya- Dehiwela. The man from Angulana was employed as a driver at a rent-a-car service at Homagama. Some time ago they robbed cash from a van distributing cigarettes at Ambalangoda. They also robbed a petrol shed at Maharagama and a grocery stores at Kottawa and Piliyandala. On three occasions, the gang hired three-wheeler taxis at Maharagama, Borelesgamuwa and Kohuwela and later robbed them by threatening to shoot the drivers. The three-wheelers were later found abandoned in these areas. Police say the vehicles have been used as getaway vehicles by the robbers after committing robberies. The four member armed gang had not been arrested before and the police were clueless about their activities. The gangsters according to police were between the age gropus of 25-30. They had spent most of the the robbed money at massage parlours, brothels and at casinos in Colombo and elsewhere. The four suspects were produced before Gangodawila Magistrate last week and were remanded till investigations are completed. |
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