Wattala robbery: Two men arrested by CCD

by Jayampathy JAYASINGHE

The Colombo Crime Division (CCD) sleuths investigating the Rs 70 million robbery at Wattala last month have arrested two men who are allegedly linked to several robberies of banks, jewellery and pawn brokering shops carried out in Matugama, Welipanne, Moratuwa, Kesbewa, Mount Lavinia and Piliyandala during the past few months, police sources told the Sunday Observer.

The two suspects from Pitigala are being grilled by CCD sleuths in connection with 12 robberies that took place during the past few months. Meanwhile, police have recovered a foreign-made machine gun, and two revolvers with 62 live ammunition from their possession.

The two suspects are being questioned at length to ascertain whether they were involved in the Rs 70 million bank robbery where a vehicle transporting cash to Automated Teller Machines in Kelaniya were robbed at gunpoint in the wee hours of the morning by five people.

The robbers rode off with the cash in two motor-cycles. The investigation on the robbery is being conducted by DIG Crimes Anura Senanayake and CCD Director D.R.L. Ranaweera under the supervision of IGP Mahinda Balasuriya.