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Police begin tally of helmet robberies as crime soars
Police stations throughout the country have been instructed to gather information on robberies of banks and financial institutions and other crimes by bandits wearing full-face helmets weeks after a police attempt to ban helmets was defeated by merchants and 
motorcyclists.
Acting Deputy Inspector-General of Police (Crimes), Gamini Dissanayaka said the directive, which includes crimes such as chain-snatching, went out following a spate of robberies committed by persons dressed in full-face helmets, including an incident this week when a young worker at a private bank was stabbed during a break-in.
“I hope to submit a report to the Inspector-General of Police on these cases after the information is collected so that further action can be planned,” DIG Dissanayaka said.
The move came after two more robberies were carried out using helmets for disguise.
The most recent of them was reported from Matugama where Rs. 5 million was snatched while the money was being transported by a private security company.
Less than 24 hours later, however, Matugama police made a breakthrough by tracking down the numbers of the motorcycles on which the robbers made their escape.
“We received information that two persons had got away with the cash collection of the LIOC which was transported by a private security firm. Our team received information about the motorcycle which was used in the crime,” Matugama police OIC Chief Inspector Chandra Padmalal told the Sunday Times.
According to a statement made by the chief security officer in charge of transporting the cash the vehicle had stopped at Agalawatta in Matugama and the other people in the vehicle had gone off to have a cup of tea.
The security officer claimed that two people had threatened him at gunpoint and forced him to open the safe in the vehicle. He claimed that all the money in the safe, amounting to Rs. 5m had been removed.
“We received information that the motorcycle used in the crime was in the Ahungalla area. But subsequent checks revealed that the cycle was registered under the name of a person in Boralesgamuwa. We located the bike at that place and the owner claimed that the motorcycle had been borrowed by one of his friends few days back,” the OIC said.
“We tracked down the person who borrowed the bike and found him at his residence in Boralesgamauwa. His accomplice in the robbery was also at the same place.”
Further investigations revealed that the chief security officer was the mastermind of the robbery. He had planned the crime with a close relative.
More questioning revealed that both of them had planned to deceive the other members of the gang.
“The two gang members carrying out the holdup believed that the cash they had got away with was the entirety of the money. But they had been given only Rs. 200,000 of the collection. The rest of the money had been hidden under a seat by the chief security officer,” the OIC said.
He said that after questioning the two hold-up suspects, police found they had only taken Rs. 200,000. They also found the relative of the chief security officer had been aware of the mastermind’s plot.
“The vehicle was searched again and the rest of the Rs 4.8m was found under the seat,” he said.
Details of the main plot and the information about the movements of the vehicle was provided by the security officer himself.
The robbery came six weeks after a private bank in Matugama was robbed by two people wearing full-face helmets who got away with Rs. 900,000.
On February 24 another branch of the same bank was robbed of Rs. 1.5m in Kohuwala by a helmeted gang while the Malabe branch of the bank was also attacked by two helmeted miscreants who stole Rs. 1.3m
Earlier this week four men dressed in full-face helmets stormed the Seeduwa Commercial Bank which was providing a night banking facility and got away with Rs. 1.4m after stabbing and beating up a young banking assistant.
The bank CCTV cameras picked up footage of the four men entering the bank shortly after midnight and threatening the security officer. Video footage showed one of the men stabbing the bank employee and kicking him before removing the cash and escaping.
The incident has prompted the bank to restrict its services and reduce banking hours.
The lack of security has prompted other financial institutions to take more security precautions.
“We operate a pharmacy in the Wattala area in the night. After these incidents we have reduced access to the inside of the building. We collect the prescriptions outside and collect the cash and pass over purchased items at a small counter close to the gate,” pharmacy owner S. Vishvanathan said.
Similar precautions have been taken by other shops.
In Attanagalla, Gampaha a grocery shop owner decided that he would not keep more than Rs. 2,000 in the cash box and that in small denominations of Rs. 20, Rs. 50 and Rs.100 notes. “As more money comes in I send it to my house which adjoins the shop,” owner Sudath Gunapala said.
He said that he is also careful when customers come into his shop, particularly anyone with full-face helmets.
Last month, a schoolboy who attempted to prevent his parent’s shop being robbed was shot dead. The attackers wore full-face helmets.
Former DIG (Crimes) I.M. Karunaratne, who retired last week, told The Sunday Times that the public’s support should be obtained to prevent such crimes. “Three-wheeler drivers, sweep ticket sellers and small grocery shop owners can help in providing information and being vigilant,” he added.
He said that increasing patrols by police and the display of pictures and information about criminals could be helpful as ordinary members of the public too would be vigilant.
He deplored the fact that when the police introduced a ban on full-face helmets after these robberies started the order was cancelled after complaints by helmet importers and motorcyclists with the result that the helmets continue to be used to carry out crimes.