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Armed robbers take gold worth Shs2.5b from refinery workers
Police Spokesperson, Fred Enanga addresses journalists at the force headquarters in Naguru, Kampala on October 23, 2023. PHOTO | FRANK BAGUMA
What you need to know:
- Police have cautioned the public to be vigilant of people who may be following them especially using Toyota Wish, which have become a common getaway vehicle for the criminals.
Police in Luwero are investigating a case of aggravated robbery in which eight buckets of gold worth Shs2.5b were robbed from employees of Bullion refinery who were travelling with the mineral from Arua to Kampala.
According to Police spokesperson, Mr Fred Enanga, the robbery was carried out by a group of five armed thugs who were travelling in a Toyota Hiace (drone) and intercepted the victims in Luweero on Sunday night.
“After intercepting them, the thugs tied the suspects and took all their belongings including cash of Shs90, 000 and mobile phones,” Mr Enanga told journalists on Monday.
“The victims were transported in a Toyota Wish which they were moving in from Arua to Kampala and abandoned at Nseke trading centre in Butuntumula, Luweero District and the suspects took away in their Toyota hiace towards Kampala,” he added.
Mr Enanga further noted that a joint security team of Flying Squad, CMI, Crime Intelligence and ISO have been launched to apprehend the suspects who are still at large.
Meanwhile, police are investigating a series of other aggravated robberies which occurred in different parts of the country in the past one week.
Mr Enanga told journalists that another group of thugs attacked a fuel pump attendant of Stabex in Kamuli District, identified as Jackline Mukyala and robbed her of Shs8m as she travelled on a boda boda to the bank.
“The suspects were travelling in a Toyota Wish with registration number UBL 012Y. Good enough we have CCTV footage which we reviewed and identified who these suspects are and inquiries are ongoing in Busoga North and Kamuli District,” Enanga said.
In another robbery incident, a group of thugs in a Toyota Wish intercepted a semi-trailer loaded with kerosene, destined for Kampala along Busia-Jinja road.
Mr Enanga revealed that the thugs stopped the truck registration number UAU 402E, tied the driver identified as Abdul Noor, a Somali national and robbed him of Shs120,000.
“These tied the driver’s hands and legs before they drove away with him. The other group drove away with the truck and efforts are under way to find out where the truck was abandoned after being emptied,” he said.
Equally, police are hunting for five armed thugs who intercepted a mobile money dealer identified as Nasib Kizito at Nsooba-Kyebando on October 16 and robbed him of an unspecified amount of money and mobile phones before disappearing on a motorcycle.
Police have cautioned the public to be vigilant of people who may be following them especially using Toyota Wish, which have become a common getaway vehicle for the criminals.
