Bank of Georgia robber in Kutaisi arrested, hostages freed

The armed robber who broke into the Bank of Georgia branch in Georgia’s western city of Kutaisi earlier on Tuesday has been arrested. 

Ketevan Kovziashvili, the head of the strategic communications department of the ministry of internal affairs told reporters the special operation had “successfully” completed.

One person has been arrested. The special operation concluded. All hostages are free", Kovziashvili noted. 

On its Facebook page, the Bank of Georgia also said “all the innocent hostages” have been freed and thanked “everyone who participated” in the special operation.

As local media reported, the armed robber who had held twelve individuals hostage, had demanded $2 million, a helicopter, a Russian flag and a fishhook in return for freeing his hostages, telling them he had an explosive device attached to his body and threatening to activate it if his demands were not met.