Devon Evans, Gleaner WriterROBBERS YESTERDAY made off with over $15 million in local and foreign currency in a daring daytime heist at the Ocho Rios branch of Dehring, Bunting and Golding Ltd., police have reported.
The figure was confirmed yesterday afternoon by the Constabulary Communication Network's (CCN) liaison officer for St. Ann, Corporal Stacey Hawkins.
Ms. Hawkins said that about 9:30 a.m., five men entered the bank posing as customers. The men held up the security guard and relieved him of his .38 revolver, before gunbutting the manager and forcing him to open the safe from which they took the money.
Ms. Hawkins said the robbers then made their escape in a waiting vehicle.
While travelling towards Fern Gully, the vehicle collided with a Toyota Corolla. The driver of the vehicle tried to follow the robbers when he was shot at.
The incident left both staff and customers traumatised. Two customers and a female employee had to be taken from the building on stretchers by a medical response team and rushed to hospital.
The CCN said intensive investigations are now taking place into the incident.
