Vavuniya police bust armed robber gang

Several weapons allegedly belonging to a suspected robber gang have been found by Vavuniya police. The weapons were recovered based on information provided by a group of suspects arrested by Vavuniya police on November 16. Police also allegedly recovered several weapons from the suspects at the time of their arrest. 

Investigations by police have established that the robber gang had been led by a Management Assistant attached to the Road Development Authority (RDA). He is currently under arrest. Among the other suspects arrested on charges of being part of the gang are a vehicle salesman, a retail shop owner and a mason. 

The recovered items included swords and kris knives. Meanwhile, police also recovered jackets allegedly worn by the suspects to conceal themselves during their crimes. Investigators say that the suspects were in the habit of bursting in on inmates of houses and robbing them of valuables by threatening them with weapons. They used motorbikes to make their get-away. 

Police are currently probing whether the gang had any connections to the so-called 'Ava Group' which is allegedly operating in the north. 

Story and Pix by Romesh Madhusanka

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