Cheeky bank robbers make off with 75 million bolivares

www.vheadline.com Posted: Wednesday, March 19, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

Bank robbers made off with 75 million bolivares at Banesco in Puerto La Cruz (Anzoategui) after kidnapping the bank manager and his family the night before and forcing him to take them to the bank in his own car.

A Police Detective Branch (CICPC) spokesman says that, when the robbers entered the bank, they told manager Norman Perez to open the vault and then made off with the cash before other employees started turning up for work.

To prevent the manager from ringing any alarm bell, the robbers tied him up with a live hand grenade bobby taped to his body. State Political & Security (DISIP) police bomb disposal experts deactivated the device, after bank employees arrived only to discover a gagged and frightened manager.