In a daring heist that unfolded in Karachi’s Shadman Town neighborhood, multiple armed robbers looted a private bank, making off with more than Rs8 million on Wednesday. Initially, the police reported that four gunmen were involved in the robbery, but Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Junaid Shaikh of the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) later confirmed that six robbers, arriving on three motorcycles, managed to escape with Rs8.7 million, as the security guard offered little resistance.
The robbers assaulted the bank’s security guard and seized the security guard’s weapon before fleeing the scene. Shaikh mentioned the presence of a CCTV camera outside the bank and stated that efforts were underway to retrieve the CCTV footage to determine the escape route taken by the robbers. He also noted that if necessary, bank employees would be included in the investigation. The weapon taken from the security guard was reportedly discarded by the robbers near the bank.
In response to the incident, a substantial police presence descended on the scene, with Sindh Caretaker Interior Minister Brig (retd) Haris Nawaz admonishing authorities for the apparent lack of police patrolling in the area. The minister has directed the Additional Inspector General (IG) to submit a report on the incident, including details about the security guard’s resistance.
The city of Karachi has experienced a notable uptick in crime, with the number of individuals killed by robbers in the city reaching 104 in the first nine months of 2023, as reported earlier this month by The News. According to the Citizens-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC), approximately 60,000 street crime incidents have been reported in the city this year. Their figures indicate that 59,511 such incidents occurred between January and August 2023.
