By IANTHIA SMITH
A bank robbery interrupted business at the Sandyport branch of First Caribbean Bank and led to a shootout between police and the suspects. (Photo/Torrell Glinton)
Two masked gunmen robbed a Cable Beach bank yesterday in a brazen heist that sent police on a manhunt for hours.
The suspects got away, but not before getting into a shootout with police.
Operations and services at the FirstCaribbean Bank in the Sandyport Centre came to a screeching halt as the two armed masked men burst into the establishment, held up two cashiers and escaped with some cash.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Glenn Miller, who was on the scene at the time, said police got a call at 11:54 a.m. about the robbery.
"We responded here and as we got here, we got further reports of two masked, dark males wearing hooded jackets," he said.
Mr. Miller said one of the suspects was armed with a high-powered weapon while the other had what is believed to be a pistol.
Shortly after 12:00 p.m. dozens of police officers on foot and in patrol cars scoured much of the western district for the suspects.
The search took them to bushes in the Orange Hill, Tropical Gardens and Old Fort Bay areas.
After nearly an hour of searching, police caught up with the suspects who started shooting at the officers. The police later fired back.
"(On Wednesday) we were in hot pursuit of these individuals and we are checking these areas to see if we can locate them," Mr. Miller said.
"There were a number of customers in the bank at the time as the bank was in full service."
Mr. Miller said there were no injuries.
He also said there were no reports of the suspects firing gunshots in the bank.
"We got word that some people were seen running in those mentioned areas so that’s where we’re looking," he said at the time.
Police later recovered a white Nissan Maxima, which is believed to be the getaway car.
The car, which is believed to be stolen, was found through a dirt road just west of Nirvana Beach.
Police said they believe the suspects ditched the car and hid in the bushes.
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