4 arrested following string of robberies in Maakurath

R. Maakurath Health Center.

Authorities have arrested four suspects – including an elderly security guard at the council headquarters – following the string of robberies in R. Maakurath last Thursday night.

Robbers hit the Maakurath Council headquarters, Maakurath Health Center office and Maakurath Magistrate Court office on Thursday night, stealing over MVR 100,000 stored inside safes at the offices.

Window of R. Maakurath Council headquarters from where the robbers entered and exited on January 24, 2019.

Maldives Police Service reports four suspects have been arrested in connection with the robberies; a 62-year-old man, two 21-year-old men and a 19-year-old man.

President of Maakurath Council, Hassan Ali reported to ‘Sun’ the 62-year-old suspect arrested in the case had been the security guard at the council on the night of the robberies.

Window of R. Maakurath Health Center from where the robbers entered and exited on January 24, 2019.

Hassan Ali said the security guards at the offices had been issued written warning following complaints they often abandoned their posts or were either asleep during the night shift in the past.

The most amount of money was taken from the safe at the Maakurath Council headquarters – which had over MVR 83,000. The robbers also stole MVR 16,000 from the health center and MVR 3,000 from the magistrate court.