Rs. 15m armed robbery - UNP candidate held

by Kurulu Kariyakarawana

UNP Western Provincial Council candidate Royce Fernando was taken in for questioning yesterday as the chief suspect in connection with the Rs.15 million armed robbery at a foreign exchange agency in Negombo last week.

The suspect who is also the UNP Chief Organiser for Negombo along with another suspect armed with a pistol carried out the daring heist by allegedly wearing full face helmets on a motorcycle in broad daylight.

The robbers who threatened the staff with death fled with bundles of local and foreign currency notes and gold jewellery worth Rs. 15 million. The suspects also fired at the police following a hot pursuit on Kurana Road. None was injured.

A special police team in Negombo took in for questioning the second suspect on Friday and having questioned him caught the main suspect, Police Spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana said.

The police also recovered cash amounting to Rs. 185,000 from the WPC candidate’s possession. They will be questioned further.