Seven remanded over racket to steal petrol from bowser

Seven suspects who were arrested over an attempt to steal petrol from a bowser in Puttalam and Anamaduwa have been remanded in custody.

 On Monday (15), Anamaduwa Police raided a house in Nonigala where a a group of persons were stealing petrol from a bowser that had left the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) terminal. At the time, petrol from the bowser was being illegally transferred to two refrigerated lorries. Police were able to arrest five suspects including the house's owner and seize the bowser and one of the lorries. 

Meanwhile, Puttalam Police were able to arrest two suspects on the same day along with the other refrigerated lorry carrying 4000 litres of petrol suspected to have been taken from the bowser. 

The suspects are residents of Anamaduwa, Wattala, Passara and Norochcholai. 

Anamaduwa Police found a further 9200 litres of petrol from the bowser seized at the house in Nonigala. They suspect that this stock of fuel was meant for the refrigerated lorry seized at the house. 

The two suspects arrested by Puttalam Police were produced before the Puttalam Magistrate, where they were remanded till August 17. The five suspects arrested by Anamaduwa Police were produced before the Anamaduwa Magistrate, who remanded them till August 29. 

Investigations to identify and arrest other suspects involved in the racket are ongoing. 

Text and Pix by Hiran Priyankara Jayasinghe