Gang member joined factory to observe security before robbery: RAB

After targeting a factory for committing robbery, a Dhaka-based gang sent one of its members to work there as an employee for a few months.

But first, the gang conducted surveillance to ensure that the factory pays the salary in cash and the guards do not carry firearms. After joining work, the inside man began to closely observe the financial transactions and security loopholes there. 

Once the gang had all the necessary information, they executed their plan to loot the valuables. 

The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) made the disclosure on Sunday after detaining five members of a robbers' gang, including the mastermind. They are Md Riaz, 36, Md Sagor Mahmud, 40, Md Jalil, 40, Ismail Hossain Mamun, 45, and Monoronjon Mondol alias Babu, 41.

"Applying this technique, the gang snatched Tk80.2 lakh from a microbus belonging to the Incredible Fashions Ltd, after shooting its employees in broad daylight on June 7," said Lt Col Sarwar Bin Quasem, director of the Legal and Media Wing of RAB headquarters.

RAB detained the five men from different areas of the capital on Saturday, and seized Tk30.68 lakh and $1,100 in cash, one car, three motorbikes, one firearm, 21 bullets, three passports and 38 mobile phones from their possession. 

In a press briefing at the RAB media centre in Karwan Bazar area, Sarwar-Bin-Quasem said, "Mamun and Babu first conducted field surveys on garment factories in Gazipur, Ashulia and Kaliakoir area around four to five month ago to learn about their security measures.

"They then targeted the Incredible Fashions Ltd because it pays salaries in cash and had no armed security guards to carry cash from bank to the factory. Once the target was selected, Babu joined the factory as a sub-contractor's assistant on the second week of March and started collecting information from factory workers, guards and nearby shops."

Quoting the detainees, the RAB official further said, "During primary interrogation, the gang members confessed to the elite force that their plan to rob the factory was foiled in April and May, as the company used mobile banking service to pay wages to its employees.

"Later, they set June to commit the robbery as the factory decided to pay cash. Other gang members conducted reconnaissance in the nearby area for 12 to 15 days in preparation for executing their plans."

On the day of incident, the gang stopped the factory's microbus near the Bangabandhu Hi-Tech City area of Kaliakair while it was returning from bank with the cash, and looted the money at gunpoint. 

"They then disappeared from the scene within five minutes," said Sarwar. 

Later, the factory's General Manager (Production) Md Khorshed Alam filed a case with Kaliakair Police Station accusing unidentified people. 

"We have learned that the robbers' gang members, who directly took part in looting the money got a share of Tk8 lakh, and the other members involved with the plan got Tk5 lakh," said the RAB legal wing director. 

He added, "The gang is also involved with the prostitution business and a number of cases were filed against the detainees with different police stations in Dhaka and Barishal."

"We are now conducting drives to detain the remaining members of the gang." 

Sarwar further said the arrestees were involved in criminal activities for a long period of tie and some of its members spent couple of years in abroad. 

"We are investigating the details of their criminal record and previous life," said the RAB official, without elaborating further details.