Man killed in biggest robbery ever in Lampung

Oyos Saroso, Gunungsugih, Central Lampung

Police personnel in South and Central Lampung regencies are still hunting a band of armed robbers that recently made off with Rp 2.5 billion (US$ 263,158) belonging to Bank Haga.

Meanwhile, Doni, who died during the province's biggest ever robbery, was buried by his family on Tuesday.

"We are still tracking down the raiders," said South Lampung Police chief Sr. Comr. Budi Santoso.

The robbery took place on Monday afternoon on Jl. Metro- Tegineneng in South Lampung regency.

Pardi, a security officer at Bank Haga's Metro branch, said on Tuesday that he and five colleagues were escorting a consignment of money from the Metro branch to the bank's Bandarlampung branch.

Traveling in a silver Kijang van driven by Doni, Pardi and four colleagues were escorting a strongbox containing Rp 2.5 billion.

Unbeknownst to the bank staff, their van was followed by a group of seven robbers riding in a dark-blue Kijang van.

As the Haga van was passing through the Tegineneng area, it was overtaken by the robbers' van, which then pulled in front of it, blocking its path.

The robbers quickly surrounded the bank van, with some pointing their guns at the bank employees, said Pardi. They then forced the bank staff to get out of their van and tied them up.

The robbers then drove off in the two Kijang vans in the direction of Bandarjaya, Central Lampung, taking the bank employees along with them.

On their way to Bandarjaya, Pardi suddenly heard loud noises from the back of the silver Kijang van. He then realized that Doni had been thrown out of the van by the robbers. Doni was later found dead at the side of the road.

The robbers then drove to Bumiaji in Central Lampung regency, and released the five bank employees at a quiet spot.

At 10 p.m on Monday, an executive of Bank Haga's Metro Branch informed the police that Doni had been found dead and his remains had been brought to the Umbul Thoif Natar Hospital in South Lampung.

Police questioned the five bank employees on Monday night.

Lampung Provincial Police chief Brig. Gen. Primanto expressed concern over the incident on Tuesday.

He said that he had briefed bank executives in Lampung recently and had warned them of an increasing number of bank robberies. He had urged the bank executives not to be reluctant to seek a police guard when transporting money. However, the recent Bank Haga incident had shown that the police's advice had been ignored, Primanto said.

The second biggest robbery to date in Lampung province happened in December last year, when five robbers escaped with Rp 200 million (US$21,052) from a customer of Bank BCA's Telukbetung branch in Bandarlampung municipality.