RAWALPINDI, Nov 18: Emboldened by the sheer audacity of their professional peers who struck in the airport area on Friday and looted a whole market with complete abandon, an eight-member gang of rather foolhardy robbers got in on the act with another shop looting spree in the same area on Saturday, only to find police quick on the draw.

However, the ill-fated robbers failed to make a clean escape due to a prompt action by the police. Shortly after they fled, police sealed all exit and entry points of the city and started hunting the outlaws.

According to DPO Saud Aziz, one of the robbers was killed and four were captured near Khokar House in Dhoke Gungal. A fleeing robber who got injured during the encounter was among those arrested.

“One Kalashnikov and other weapons have also been seized from the accused,” the official said, adding that those arrested were Afghan nationals and belonged to Jalalabad.

Earlier, the gang armed with one Kalashnikov and pistols kicked off its string of robberies in Dhoke Gungal from a jewellery shop in Abdul Aziz market where it looted gold ornaments whose value is yet to be ascertained.

The next target was Al-Raheem General Store in Haji Abdul Majeed market. Tahir Naseem, the owner, told mediapersons that two robbers entered the store, while their third accomplice stood at the door.

He said the robbers snatched Rs14,000 and one cellphone from his cousin Amir and another from his friend Naveed, both of whom happened to be there at the time. They also snatched Rs29,000 from him, and grabbed another Rs7,000 from the cash box besides calling cards worth Rs11,000 and a mobile phone of his employee.

While three of the robbers were looting the grocery shop, their two accomplices burst into Freshway Bakers, while the remaining hit Kanwal Music Centre in the same market.

The robbers grabbed Rs6,000 from the cash box of the bakery and a mobile phone from its owner. They also deprived a customer of cash.

The culprits beat and injured a pedestrian while fleeing. The injured was taken to a nearby hospital where he is said to be in stable condition.

DPO Saud Aziz was pleased that the police had busted the notorious gang that had been active in the city since Ramazan. He hoped that the looted goods and cash would be recovered soon.