Two arrested for stealing firearm, bullets from Panagoda Army camp

The Homicide and Organized Crime Investigation Division of the Criminal Investigation Department said that two persons wanted for stealing a T-56 type firearm, 120 bullets and four magazines from a soldier at a guard room of the Army housing complex adjacent to the Panagoda Army Base, were arrested on Wednesday (15).

Police said that the two persons arrested were a former Army personnel (30), a resident of Middeniya and an Army Sergeant (36) of Veyangoda.

The former Army personnel who was arrested had stolen the firearm and bullets and information was revealed that the Army Sergeant had aided and abetted him by providing him sanctuary.

The firearm, 120 bullets and four magazines had been stolen on March 3 and during investigations, the Police had found a magazine with 30 bullets hidden under a culvert located about 100 metres away from the place of the incident.

Subsequently, two investigations were conducted by the Homagama Police and the Western Province South Crime Division, and on the instructions of the Inspector General of Police while another investigation by the Criminal Investigation Department had already commenced.