Gampola ATM robbers have deposited van hire to driver

Investigations into the robbery of the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) of a private bank in Gampola by an armed gang has revealed that the robbers have deposited Rs.100,000 to the bank account of the driver in  which the gang had arrived for the robbery. Investigations have revealed that the robbers have credited 50,000 rupees each on two occasions. This money was credited to the driver’s bank account on the January 24 after the robbery.

The robbers had given a phone call to the driver and said that the money will be credited as the rent of the van. The police have questioned the driver who is in police custody at length about this robbery.

The driver an ex-serviceman of the Air Force, has said that he brought the van to Peradeniya on the night of the 23rd, after he received a rental request through a WhatsApp call.

He has said that two people got into the van in Peradeniya and then two others got into the van in Deltota area. While returning, the driver had said the robbers pointed a gun at him and blindfolded him and left him with one of their friends at a deserted place and later they took him back in the van and left him with the van.

The robbers had taken away the ATM machine after tying the security officer of the bank to a chair at around 1 am January 25. Four masked robbers who arrived at the scene in a van had dismantled and removed the ATM of the private bank on the Kandy Road in Gampola.

It was stated that the ATM contained about Rs.8 million cash.