KARACHI: Five robbers stormed a private bank branch on Manghopir Road, overpowered security guards, snatched their weapons and walked off with over Rs5 million on Monday afternoon, police said.

Special Investigation Unit (SIU) SSP Dr Samiullah Soomro said the incident took place at around 2:14pm. He said the suspects carried out the robbery in a “haphazard manner” and left the premises within two to three minutes after taking cash from the counter.

He shared that this was the first bank robbery reported in 2026.

He told Dawn that initial investigations suggested the suspects were not armed when they arrived. They seized weapons from two guards, one posted outside and the other inside, and used those weapons to carry out the robbery. They fled with the snatched weapons.

As per a police statement, three armed robbers entered the bank while two accomplices stayed outside. After the robbery, the suspects locked the bank from the outside and fled.

The SSP said the suspects did not attempt to hold staff hostage at gunpoint and did not approach the cash lockers. The bank manager informed the SIU that approximately Rs5m to Rs6m was taken.

Recalling past incidents, the SSP said that when bank robberies increased in 2017–18 in the metropolis, police, in collaboration with bank management, had devised standard operating procedures (SOPs) to prevent such crimes.

However, he said the bank concerned had implemented the SOPs only partially. A bunker had been installed inside the branch, but no guard was deployed there. The robbery might have been prevented if a guard had been posted in the bunker, he added.

The SSP said he believed “local criminals” were involved in the heist. They had conducted reconnaissance and reportedly fled using a car and a motorcycle, he added.

The Crime Scene Unit was later called to collect evidence.

Officials said further investigation is underway.

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2026