Police suspect international links in Turku robbery

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The raid by three armed masked men on an armoured cash transport vehicle in the yard of the Bank of Finland premises in Turku at around 5 p.m. on Monday took only a few minutes. The trio surprised and overpowered the drivers of the van while they were loading sacks of cash into the vehicle, and escaped with what has been described as a significant sum of money.
      On Tuesday, the case was transferred to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
     
No breakthrough has been made so far, while the police are following several lines of investigation. The well-planned raid followed a pattern common in recent robberies abroad, which could suggest that the heist has international links.
      The investigating officers have interviewed the two guards who were involved in the cash transport as well as some other eye-witnesses. Dozens of police patrols have been searching for the robbers.
      Furthermore, all roads, ports, airports, and border crossing points have been placed under stepped-up surveillance.
      The Finnish police have also contacted their Swedish counterparts, who have investigated similar robberies in Sweden. Moreover, the authorities in Estonia have also been informed.
     
The trio of robbers are thought to have escaped in a blue Toyota Corolla, which was seen speeding along Läntinen Rantakatu towards Turku Harbour. In spite of extensive searches, the vehicle has not been found as yet.
      The police are not willing to disclose any further details of the events nor of the security arrangements of the cash transport.
      However, the claim that the robbers spoke English or some other foreign language has subsequently been withdrawn.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Armed gang hits cash consignment; border surveillance tightened (20.2.2007)

Links:
  National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)

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