Three heavily armed robbers, who also made away with FCFA 3 million, were picked up in New Bell early this week.

Armed robbers who broke into the microcredit institution, Agence Crédit Mutuel of BP Cité neighbourhood of Douala, in the night of January 26, 2012, and carted away with some three million FCFA have been arrested. Judicial police officers, who made the incursion, say most acts of mugging and burglary in the city were perpetrated by the gangsters, who willingly discharge artilleries such as Revolvers at persons or institutions identified with money, or simply display a semi-automatic weapon. Police officers say they are withholding their names due to court now handling the case.

Security guards who were gagged with towels reported that the operation was carried out by four muscular men well-organised in their operations, communicating with cell phones and spending no more than 15 minutes in the microcredit institution. Although a member of the gang is on the run, those arrested were later transferred to the New Bell Prison where they are in pre-trial detention.

The violent serial gang terrorized across Douala, pulling off money from individual’s pockets as well as breaking into financial institutions. The wave of robberies and attacks at money transfer agencies, banks, micro-finance and microcredit institutions and their clients in the metropolis, together with the suspects’ geriatric appearance and the catchy label given them by local security staff, has drawn attention to the case, which is due to unfold at the Douala Military Tribunal in the days ahead.

The recent incident proves that preventing acts of robbery, assisting in identifying and apprehending persons who commit acts of robbery could create security awareness among communities, management and staff in all financial institutions, thereby promoting a security-conscious working environment.