(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) –The vehicle used in the Matara jewelry shop robbery along with its owner has been taken into the police custody at Thalagala, Horana.
The registered owner of the Alto vehicle is a woman and the person arrested with the vehicle in connection with the heist is her husband. The 43 year old suspect has been identified as Madapathage Kapila Kumara, a resident of Meegoda.
Police investigations have revealed that the suspects arrested previously in connection with the robbery Kosgoda Tharaka, deceased Chamara and Kosgoda Dilshan have rented a house belonged to Kapila Kumara in Moragahahena for four months before the robbery.
The officers of the Kalutara District Crimes Unit have been surveilling the suspect’s house for several days before taking the vehicle and the owner into custody when he arrived at the house early this morning.
While inspecting the house the police were able to find a revolver firearm and several bullets, which is believed to have been used in the shootout, some clothes used by the suspects who were staying at the house and several photographs.
Investigations have revealed that the suspects had come to rob the jewellery store in the vehicle and it has been used to take the injured suspects to the Karapitiya Hospital.
On June 22, around 10.25 am, the suspects who had come to rob a jewelry shop in Matara had exchanged fire with the police and during the shoot out three police officers and two bystanders were injured.
One of the injured police officers, 33 year old Suranga Pradeep Weerasinghe succumbed to his injuries.
The three suspects were also injured during the shootout and admitted themselves to the hospital where they were arrested.
The mastermind of the robbery, a criminal named Chamara Indrajith Jayasundara, who was wanted in several murders and robberies, was arrested soon after the shootout. However, he was shot and killed by the police when he attempted to hurl a grenade at the police officers who took him to retrieve his clothing and hidden weapons.
