By Kenneth Wamatoyi
JINJA
A daring robbery attempt has been thwarted by the Buwenge police in Jinja District, preventing potential losses for Pride Microfinance Bank.
The robbers, who had gained entry by cutting a hole in the roof, were unable to access the safe deposit boxes and steal two guns belonging to private security guards on the morning of Friday, November 22, 2024, at around 4:00 AM.
The District Police Commander (DPC) for Central Police Station Buwenge, SP Morris Oyee, explained that, in a well-coordinated effort with his security personnel, they swiftly responded to the crime scene at Pride Microfinance Bank’s Buwenge branch. The attempted armed robbery had occurred during the early hours of the morning.
According to DPC Oyee, the suspects gained access to the building by cutting a hole in the roof. Once inside, they disabled the CCTV cameras, took two laptop computers, and removed the DVR hard drives that controlled the surveillance system.
The police were immediately alerted, and Buwenge police successfully recovered two guns belonging to private security guards from Saracen Uganda Limited, which the robbers had initially targeted.
Oyee further stated that the room containing the safe deposit boxes was not tampered with, preventing the loss of millions of shillings in valuables. Two suspects, whose identities have been withheld, are currently in custody at CPS Buwenge to assist the police with further investigations.
SP James Mubi confirmed the robbery attempt and issued a warning to all establishments, including factories, hotels, and banks that store valuable documents or cash, urging them to install reliable sensors that monitor the entire surface of their rooftops. This, he said, would help minimize potential damages and prevent criminals from gaining access through the roof.
According to the information gathered, the primary objective of the suspects was to steal the two guns from the private security guards and gain access to the room containing the safe deposit boxes. However, their efforts were thwarted due to the prompt response from DPC Morris Oyee, as well as the introduction of a police dog to the scene.
