Four suspects have been arrested over 12 recent large scale armed robberies including the theft of Rs 7.5 million from a garment factory owner in Ja Ela and Rs 35 million in foreign currency and gold in Pettah.
The suspects, Weerasinghe Suneetha, Susil Silva, Prasanna Sanjeewa Kumara and Sanjeewa Mandanayake, were arrested by a team of officers from the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID).
The armed robberies carried out by the gang of robbers include the robbery of Rs 7.5 million from the owner of Polytex Garment in Ja Ela on May 28.
The businessman was returning to the factory with the cash from a private bank when the armed men had stopped him near the factory and stolen the money after threatening him.
They were also involved in robbing foreign currency and gold worth Rs 35 million from a jewelry store in Sea Street, Pettah on August 06. The suspects had used two T56 rifles and a pistol to carry out the robbery, police said.
The suspects are being detained and further interrogated, police said.
