News
Fear, frustration build up as holdups soar
Full-face helmet bandits have struck 14 times in the past four months, robbing millions of rupees and gold jewellery from banks, pawn shops and gem merchants in various parts of the country. Although video footage has been available on closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras, police have so far only been able to make a breakthrough in three of the cases because the helmets hinder 
identification.This week alone Rs 770,000 was stolen from one bank while the attempted holdup of another bank was foiled by private security guards who pounced on the robbers, firing into the air.
“We see a new and rising trend with this type of crime. We have also found that some of those involved are those on bail for various offences,” Police Chief N.K. Illangakoon told a meeting of newspaper editors presided over by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
He said police were confident in making breakthroughs in these cases.The string of robberies has caused alarm among both the public and employees in institutions handling cash and jewellery.
“I am scared to go to a bank alone to deposit our day’s collection as usually we do. I now take another employee of the company to be on the alert to see if anyone is following me. We don’t see any additional precautions being taken by the banks or by the police,” said Rajith Wanasinghe, manager of a company in Kollupitiya.
On Thursday, two armed men stormed the Citizens’ Development Bank at Moratuwa. Two employees were ordered to keep their heads down on the table while a female customer leaving the premises was dragged back and ordered to sit down at gunpoint. At Kirulapone on the same day, almost at the same time, two people attacked the Seylan Bank, sending employees diving for cover under tables.
“When we go to work we are not sure whether armed men will break into the bank. We need extra security to carry out our work. Otherwise we work under extra tension on how to protect our lives and save the bank’s money,” a bank employee who did not wish to be named said.
On Thursday, two armed men stormed the Citizens’ Development Bank at Moratuwa and got away with Rs 770,000. Pix by Reka Tharangani
Last Saturday at least four robbers in full-face helmets broke into a leading jewellery shop in Negombo and got away with Rs. 3 m cash and jewellery. One senior employee slipped out of the shop and called 119, the police emergency number, and a senior police officer in the local station while the robbers were inside.Despite the police being less than 1km away they turned up more than half an hour later.
During that time customers were threatened at gunpoint and one was assaulted. A security guard too was assaulted.
Speaking about the robbery at the Citizens’ Development Bank at Moratuwa, Moratuwa Police OIC Chief Inspector Indunil said: “We had deployed a police mobile car close to the location where the robbery in Moratuwa took place. This is because there are five banks located in this area.
“But when the robbers came there was no indication from the bank that there was a robbery taking place.”
He said that if the bank had an alarm system the police would have been able to act promptly. Police analysis of CCTV shows that the gang used a pistol and a locally manufactured Galkatas. No arrests have yet been made.The increase in these robberies have drawn strong reactions.
“Though claims are made that the livingstandards have improved, in reality poverty has increased. Therefore people are resorting to these type of robberies,” senior Attorney-at-Law J.C. Weliamuna told the Sunday Times.
“When the law is not enforced properly the robbers also believe that they could evade arrest. This encourages them to resort to more crime. The people also start losing trust in the law,” he said.He said the police came under political influence and some OICs had to act under political pressure. “Removing political influence can help to reduce crime,” he added.
Another Attorney-at-Law, Sunil Watagala, agrees. “At times, when the police act against criminals, they come under political pressure. Therefore the police don’t take action against some of these people because they fear that there would be reprisals,” he said. Mr Watagala also said failure to implement law and order was one of the reasons for the increase of the crime. “Persons who smuggle drugs have been released. This is a bad example as the criminals believe that they too could escape,” he said.
A senior police officer who wished to remain anonymous said the government needed to immediately consider a review of the laws and the penalties as some of these date from colonial times. He said banks could improve their security by deploying security guards more efficiently.
“In some of the banks it is the security guards who are seen directing the customers to the cash counters, taking letters and documents to counters or helping in parking of vehicles outside the premises,” he said. “Instead, they should be alert on the persons coming to the bank through the main entrance.”
Police are studying the enaction of a ban on full-face helmets in a bid to prevent them being used to carry out holdups. A Gazette regulation imposed in 1991 banning such helmets is likely to be reintroduced.