KARACHI, Oct 5: Armed robbers struck at two more private banks in the city on Friday only a couple of days after over Rs6 million was taken away in two bank heists, but this time one of the robberies was foiled by policemen after an exchange of fire with the bandits in North Nazimabad.

Just a few hours after the police encounter, at least half a million rupees was taken away from a private bank in Keamari in this year’s 18th bank heist in the city.

It was after Friday prayers when four men, two of them wearing uniform of private security guards, relieved the lone guard posted outside the Keamari branch of the Meezan Bank Limited in Jackson Market of his weapon and three of them entered the branch, police said.

“They held the staff hostage at gunpoint and collected around Rs500,000 in cash within a few minutes,” said Jackson SHO Inspector Faryaz Bhatti.

During the brief episode, one of the robbers posing as a guard remained present outside the branch, the inspector quoted bank staff and other eyewitnesses as saying.

He added that they fled in a hi-roof van and on a motorbike while taking away the guard’s gun along with the cash.

“Police investigators have acquired footage recorded by the CCTV (closed-circuit television) cameras installed in and outside the branch,” he said, describing the material quite helpful in identifying the robbers.

The Keamari incident was the 18th successful bank robbery recorded this year in the city, as earlier in the morning the bandits preferred to run away without robbing the bank when they were challenged by policemen.

The police said that at least seven armed men entered the Sakhi Hasan branch of MCB and their five accomplices stood outside the branch.

The bandits snatched a gun from the security guard and held the staff hostage at gunpoint before one of them moved to the cash counter, the officials said.

“It was around 9:05am and even the cashiers had not yet arrived,” said Taimuria SHO Inspector Ejaz Lodhi.

“Since the cash had not yet been drawn from the strong room, the bandits had an altercation with the bank staff. In the meantime, two police constables patrolling the area on a motorbike finding suspicious and extraordinary movement outside the branch moved to the bank,” the inspector said.

Sensing danger, he said, the bandits waiting for their accomplices outside the bank shouted to call them and fired shots at the policemen.

“This triggered an exchange of gunfire between the two sides that lasted a few minutes during which at least two bandits sustained gunshot wounds, but as they were armed with weapons they managed to run away in two vehicles,” said the Taimuria SHO.

“The cash and other bank assets remained safe,” he added.

The Taimuria police later registered an FIR (500/2012) under Sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code on a complaint of one of the police constables.

“The police authorities have also announced cash prize for the two police constables, Wasim and Saeed, for showing courage in foiling the heist attempt that is first of its kind in recent years,” said Inspector Lodhi.

It is noteworthy that last year witnessed a total of 19 bank heists in the city with more than Rs70 million taken away from different bank branches.

This year apart from the bank robberies, a foreign exchange company car was robbed of Rs2.8 million in Defence Housing Authority on Oct 4.