KARACHI: In one of the biggest robberies in recent years in the metropolis, over Rs12 million was looted in Clifton on Thursday evening, officials said.

Two guards, identified as Sanaullah and Sabz Ali belonging to VIP Security Company, whose services were hired by Al-Sahara money exchange, took away the money from the company’s cash van near Beachview Park, said Clifton SP Dr Asad Malhi.

The exchange company officials in their initial statement said that they were deprived of Rs12m.

One of the suspects was hired without proper verification

The Clifton SP said that the exchange company’s van was carrying cash after collecting it from its different branches in the city and was on its way to its branch in Clifton when the guards ostensibly overpowered the other staff and took away the cash. They escaped in another vehicle with the looted money.

The incident occurred at around 5.45pm.

After receiving information about the robbery, policemen were posted at various spots, who started snap checking of vehicles. Presumably, after seeing the policemen, the suspects abandoned their vehicle in Shirin Jinnah Colony and escaped. The police seized the vehicle, in which a gun was also found.

Dr Malhi claimed that one of the guards was hired by the security company around a week back.

“The suspect guard was appointed by the security company without his proper verification,” said the officer. Dr Asad Malhi said initial investigations suggested that the escaped suspects had no links with any militant outfit.

The Clifton SP said the suspects originally hailed from Kohat, according to the computerised national identity cards obtained from the company.

Another police officer said that the money changer and driver of the cash van had been detained for interrogation. The police have established a special team to track and arrest the suspects.

This was considered the city’s biggest robbery in recent years.

The country’s biggest robbery was also committed in Karachi in December 2009, when robbers took away Rs311m from a bank on I.I. Chundrigar Road.

Sindh Inspector General of Police A.D. Khowaja took notice of the robbery and directed DIG South Azad Khan to submit a report after a “comprehensive inquiry” urgently.

The provincial police chief also asked the officers to carry out an effective investigation and ensure arrest of the suspects and their possible accomplices.

Published in Dawn, April 21st, 2017