Root rewards security guard who foiled snatch theft attempt with MVR 50,000

Root, a large-scale distributor of tobacco products, has expressed gratitude to a security guard who foiled an attempt to steal over MVR 4.2 million in cash transported for deposit by Root to Bank of Ceylon (BOC) in Male’, and rewarded him with MVR 50,000 cash prize.

The robbery attempt had taken place at approximately 11:40 am on Sunday, October 25. The robbers – four men wearing masks and helmets - came on two motorcycles and closed in on the van transporting the money as it parked in front of the bank. The robbery was foiled with the quick intervention of the security guard and Root’s staffers involved in the transport of the money.

The security guard, Mohamed Hassan Manik, an employee of Absolute Security and Advance Protection, was presented with a plaque of recognition and a MVR 50,000 cash prize by Root in appreciation of his assistance earlier this Saturday.

Root also expressed appreciation for three of its own employees, presenting them with a MVR 10,000 cash prize each.

Root’s Managing Director Abdulla Rafiu told Sun he provided the reward to encourage civilian bystanders to intervene and stop snatch thefts and other such crimes.

Police have arrested four men they believe were actively involved in the robbery. They are:

• Ahmed Ameer, 20, Pink Villa, Vilimale’
• Mohamed Mus’ab Zubair, 23, Caneermaage, G. A. Vilingili
• Hussain Abdul Majeed, 22, Dhafthar no. 3648
• Abdulla Rashid, 27, Keemiyage, Thundi, L. Gan

The robbery attempt was caught on CCTV camera.

The money, packed in a cardboard box, was transported to the bank on a van. CCTV footage shows four men wearing long-sleeved black shirts and jeans, as well as masks and helmets, close in on the as it parks in front of the bank, before attacking staffers from Root and attempting to snatch the cardboard box.

The robbers took the cardboard box containing the money after dragging a female staffer out of the van. She sprayed body spray at the robbers in an attempt to impede their movement. As the robbers attempt to flee with the box, a security guard rushes out of the bank and confiscates the box from them, and a staffer from Root wearing a company t-shirt attempts to secure the box.

Meanwhile, a foreign worker who drives by the road on a motorcycle witnesses the situation and chases after the robbers.

The case is under investigation by the Serious and Organized Crime Department.