No charges yet in € 500,000 Maltese robbery

Posted on March 07, 2010 by CasinoBazar

Maltese police are yet to charge anyone in connection with the theft of a six-figure sum stolen by an armed gang of five at the Casino di Venezia at the Vittoriosa Waterfront. Police have still not revealed the amount stolen from the casino but it is believed to include cash, jewellery and cheques  to the tune of at least € 500,000.

The carefully hatched robbery was carried out in about three minutes on the night before money is collected by security guards. Four armed and hooded men ran into the casino and threatened staff and customers, forcing them to drop to the floor. One of the men leapt over a thick pane of glass and filled a bag cash and flung it to the other robbers before leaping back over.

The four robbers ran outside, where a fifth was waiting in a green Mitsubishi Pajero. They drove to the far end of the Vittoriosa Waterfront and dumped the car into the sea before fleeing by boat. Two fishermen said they saw the five men push the vehicle into the sea and board a small boat, where a sixt man was waiting. The police were also informed that a similar craft was seen sailing out of the port at a high speed sometime later. This led to an air, land and sea search along the coast involving a helicopter, police cars and a patrol boat. Roadblocks were also mounted in several localities.

A casino spokesman said business resumed as normal the next day. Whilst suspects are being questioned police are not close to charging anyone. Sources said the police "strongly suspected" a number of people who may have been involved, but said they did not yet have sufficient evidence to proceed. The robbery could be linked to the € 1 million theft from security van outside HSBC Bank in Balzan on November 30, 2007.