Millions lost in daylight robbery

DENPASAR, Bali: Armed robbers managed to get away with Rp 11.7 million during a daylight robbery as three employees of Tiara Dewata supermarket were conducting a transaction at a money changer.

Two robbers walked into the money changer office at Terminal Cargo street at about 3:30 p.m. local time and immediately grabbed the bag being held by the female employee.

The three employees were about to exchange a total of Rp 20 million in Rp 5,000 and Rp 1,000 bills contained in two separate bags into smaller denominations.

The supermarket's security guard Nyoman Mudita tried to resist the robbers but was thwarted by the other robber who fired his pistol.

Mudita immediately dove to the ground dodging the bullet.

The two robbers then ran into the street where two other men were waiting on motorcycles.

"He is a very lucky man. The bullets missed him by just several centimeters," the Denpasar Police Chief, Senior Inspector Awang Joko Rumitro later told journalists. (zen)