By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Agents of the Judicial
Investigation Organization
continue to search for three men
who robbed a government bank
agency located in a shopping
center in Curridabat*
Saturday.
Joaquin Sanchez, head of the
assault section, reports that on
Saturday morning they received an
emergency call about "three men
who entered the bank to steal the
money that was in the cashiers, it
has not been possible to quantify
the total quantity. The men posed
as clients overpowered the guard
and threatened the people. Once
the money was stolen, they fled
the site in a white vehicle. That
car was later abandoned near the
robbery scene. The car had been
stolen in the month of March."
The agents are continuing to
investigate how armed men could
enter the bank. All information,
at this point, is confidential.
In a previous case of bank
robbery, reported by A.M. Costa
Rica on Jan. 7, a failed assault
resulted in the death of three
thieves due to the quick action of
the security officer of the bank
located in Coronado* in
San Jose..
Marco Carrión, Chief of
Investigators Department of the
Judicial Investigation
Organization, said the three dead
robbers were a man surnamed
Quesada, 46, of Costa Rican
nationality and his two sons. The
elder Quesada had a criminal
record for aggression in 2010 and
for dealing drugs in 2011. "He had
received a sentence for selling
drugs, he was in prison for some
years," said Carrión.
The man’s sons also surnamed
Quesada, were 29 years old and 21.
The elder had a criminal record
for illegal possession of a weapon
in 2009, and the younger had no
criminal background.
Investigators confirmed that the
thieves used two pistols. One, a
9-millimeter, was stolen from a
Judicial Investigation officer in
the Atlantic area. The other
pistol, a .38 caliber, was not
registered in the country and it
is presumed that it was acquired
outside the country and never was
registered.
The
intention of the assailants
appears to have been the robbery
of a couple who were going to make
a deposit of ¢30,000 (about
$49,600).
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However,
thanks to the rapid
and effective action
of the security
officer, who also
carried a
9-millimeter weapon,
the intended victims
were defended and
the three thieves
were killed.
With respect to the
security officer,
investigators have
requested that his
name be kept
confidential to
protect the
investigation due to
the seriousness of
the crime. Police
did confirm that he
is a Costa Rican
with extensive
experience in
handling firearms.
Investigators report
that the thieves
somehow obtained
information about
the day, time and
place for the
deposit. Carrión
states that the
thieves must have
completed an
intelligence
operation before the
robbery. “We are
trying to establish
how they got the
information about
the victim and the
time she was going
with the money to
enter the bank. The
position of the
thieves was focused
on taking the money
quickly and even the
car they used was
positioned to
quickly resolve any
action (referring to
a quick escape from
the place)," said
Carrion.
When asked about
possible charges
against the security
officer, Carrión
said "The officer's
action seems to be
self-defense and
safeguarding the
integrity of a
person, also a
patrimonial asset of
that person and his
own life. The
officer actions were
according to his
profession.”
Article 28 of the
Criminal Code of
Costa Rica states
that ‘Legitimate
Defense’ is valid
when there is
illegal aggression
and reasonable need
for defensive action
used to repel or
prevent any
aggression.
The video of failed
assault attempted in
the death of three
thieves, was
captured of the
cameras of the
stores in front of
the bank, and
published all over
social networks.
The full video can
be seen in the link
here*
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Should
banks have more armed
officers?
We would like to know
your thoughts on this
story. Send your
comments to: news@amcostarica.com
*Link
to reach the place
map.
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