KARACHI: Police on Friday arrested a guard of a private security company who, along with other guards, looted over Rs12 million from a money changer’s cash van in Clifton on April 20, said Karachi South SSP Saqib Ismail Memon.

Addressing a press conference at his office, he said that after a tip-off, police raided a place in Gulshan Sikanderabad in Keamari and arrested main suspect Sanaullah and recovered Rs19,45,000 from his custody, which was stated to be his share of the looted cash.

On information provided by him, the police recovered the van used in the robbery. During interrogation, the suspect identified his accomplices as Sabz Ali (security guard), Saddar, Haji, Sohail, Saeed and one unknown suspect. Efforts were under way to arrest them.

The suspects belonged to VIP Security company, whose owner Kaleemullah has already been arrested over abetment charges.

The police have also written a letter to the home department to cancel registration of the security company, said SSP Memon.

The officer said the security company hired guard Sabz Ali, who had an ‘existing criminal record’, without any police verification.

Narrating the incident, which was considered the city’s biggest robbery in recent years, the SSP said the cash van of Al-Sahara money changer, after collecting cash from its various branches, was on its way to its head office located at Burns Road.

When it reached Beach View Park, Clifton Block 4, company guards Sanaullah and Sabz Ali ordered the cash van driver Shafiq and rider Yasin at gunpoint to stop the van.

Three accomplices of the guards travelling in the Suzuki van stormed the cash van and took away Rs1,23,95,000 cash. The Boat Basin police registered an FIR.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2017