Wellewatte Rs. 13 m. bank robbery:

Five suspects arrested, Rs. 6 m recovered

Sarath MALALASEKERA

A combined operation conducted by the Colombo Crime Division (CCD) and the Wellawatta Police yesterday blew the lid off a massive bank robbery of Rs.13 million from the Union Bank Wellawatte two and half weeks ago following the arrest of five suspects including an ex Bank employee and recovered Rs.6 million from the possession of two of the suspects. The special police team deployed by the Colombo Crime Division and Organised Crimes DIG Anura Senanayake arrested the most wanted suspect in the Kundasale Police area.

According to the investigations directed by DIG Anura Senanayake two of the suspects including the ex bank employee had entered the Union Bank in the early hours of April 24 on the pretext of repairing the ATM machines installed at the Union Bank Wellawatte.

The ex bank employee is alleged to have had photographs of the entire bank premises on an early date.

Investigations also revealed that one of the suspects now in custody is an ex Captain of the Sri Lanka Army who had left service in 1997.

CCD officials recovered cash worth over Rs.3.6 million from a suspect now warded at the Colombo National Hospital, who had met with an accident recently after committing robbery. Rs. 2.4 million was recovered from the ex bank employee. CCD Director Senior SP Vaas Gunawardena assisted by Chief Inspector Mangala Dehideniya, OIC, Wellawatta Police with Sub- Inspectors Shantha, Sriyantha and a special police team are conducting investigations.