Gold, cash worth Rs.50mn stolen from Devalaya

Four suspects arrested

By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya, J.A.L. Jayasingha and L.B. Senaratne
Four suspects were arrested yesterday in connection with the robbery of cash and jewellery worth more than Rs.50 million from a Devalaya in Galthenna, Thalathuoya, Police said. 

  They said their preliminary investigations had revealed that six suspects had arrived in a three-wheeler and robbed jewellery weighing 10 kilos and Rs.400,000 in cash on Wednesday morning after threatening those in the Devalaya.   

Police took into custody the three-wheeler, four of the suspects and the stolen gold on information obtained from CCTV footage. The gold was hidden in the house of one of the suspects at Kiribathkumbura.   

The suspects were found to be residents of Gampola, Kiribathkumbura and Hirassagala while one them believed to be an army deserter was still missing.   

Police said Thalathuoya Police are conducting investigations under the direction of Central Province Senior DIG S.M. Wickramasinghe.   

Thalathuoya Police OIC Inspector Aruna Krishantha, IP Saman Kumara, IP Ranjan, SI Wijekoon, Police Sergeant Chandrasekara (29363), Police Constables Bandara (20030), Lakmal (67717), Balasuriya (80365) of the Thalathuoya Police Station and Pallekale Police OIC IP Aruna Shantha Bandara, SI Abeyratna and WPC Weerasingha participated in the investigation carried out by ASP Kamal Ariyawansa under the instructions of Kandy and Matale Districts DIG D.R.L. Ranaweera and Kandy Division SP Thennakoon.