Robber gang held after three weeks
TRINCOMALEE: Seven persons who used a boat for a sea crossing and later robbed a jewellery store on land in Trincomalee were apprehended nearly three weeks after the daring heist. The group had raided the store on February 8 and got away with jewellery valued at around Rs. 3.8 million, according to police. The group had arrived at their target in a boat along the Trincomalee - Koneswaram sea and fled in the same vessel after the robbery. Police recovered a hand grenade, a foreign-made firearm and six rounds of ammunition from the possession of the group.
They said the main suspect identified as a 38-year-old resident of Trincomalee is the brother of a notorious criminal known as ‘Ice Manju’, currently absconding after committing various crimes in Trincomalee.
Hollywood scene enacted in Wattala
WATTALA: In what appeared to be a scene from a Hollywood gangster movie an attempt to lure an underworld operative was botched after the suspect was able to give the slip to the police and escape.
The suspect known as Athurugiriya Navy Ruwan’ abandoned his car and fled after personnel from the Special Task Force (STF) attempted to corner him at a location in Wattala shortly after dusk on Thursday. The drama began after three persons including two women were nabbed with a small quantity of heroin at Ganemulla earlier in the day.
The police persuaded the three persons to act as decoys and seek a purchase of heroin from the supplier. The suspect agreed and he was told to arrive at a certain location where the STF personnel were waiting in ambush.
However, the suspect, noticing something was not right made a hasty retreat on nearing the meeting point. This led to a heated vehicle chase and the suspect’s car was subsequently found abandoned at the end of a by-road in Meegahawatta. The police found a hand grenade in the car but there were no drugs in the vehicle.
Ayurveda doctor on the mat
TRINCOMALEE: An Ayurveda doctor was among two persons arrested along with a cache of explosives at Kinniya in Trincomalee. Police seized 37 sticks of dynamite and 372-feet long detonator cords from the suspects.
The other suspect was identified as a fisherman.
Investigators believe the stock of explosives was to be used for dynamite fishing which is banned in the country.
Dynamite fishing which is outlawed since it causes extensive damage to marine life is known to be rampant in the Trincomalee region.
Six Nigerians among eight held in bank scam
MOUNT LAVINIA: A group of eight persons that included six Nigerians and a local couple were arrested in connection with an online banking scam where they defrauded Rs. 1.7million from unsuspecting account holders.
The group convincingly told each victim that they had won an online lottery and to collect the prize they would have to deposit a sum of money to a certain account number. The group had used various foreign and local mobile SIM cards in their operation to avoid detection. Following a detailed investigation by intelligence sleuths attached to the Kelaniya Police Division the group was tracked down to a safe house in Mount Lavinia earlier this week.
Police recovered two computers, 79 SIM of various countries and stocks of paper used for the printing of local and foreign currencies.
Body count ticks on in road fatalities
POLICE HQ: At least 25 persons died in road accidents from the start of this week and the bulk of the victims were motorcyclists, according to police.
Around 15 motorcyclists were among the fatalities while the others were pedestrians and passengers and the majority of the accidents were reported from the outstations. Police attributed the accidents to reckless driving and excessive speed and called upon all road users to follow the motor traffic guidelines to avoid more deaths and injuries to persons.