Robber of Bank of Georgia branch in Kvareli, Kakheti detained
Police was mobilised in the adjacent to the Bank of Georgia to ensure safety. Photo: Giorgi Aladashvili/RFERL
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The armed robber who attacked the Bank of Georgia branch in Kvareli, eastern Georgian region of Kakheti earlier today has been detained, the Interior Ministry reports.
The individual, identified only as Sh.M. and born in 1972, was detained for holding 13 individuals hostage, as well as illegal purchase and possession of ammunition.
Everything was held at the highest possible level and it ended without blood, thank God!” Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri said.
Noting that the detainee has been identified, Minister Gomelauri did not provide further details.
I want to thank everyone, [especially] our personnel as well as the bank personnel, everyone who was inside”, he said.
The man, who held the individuals hostage in a hold up of a Bank of Georgia branch, allegedly demanded over half a million GEL.
Attacker armed with a hand grenade tried to rob a bank in #Kvareli #Georgia
— Formula NEWS | English (@FormulaGe) September 9, 2021
All hostages were safely freed & the attacker was arrested
Similar attack occurred in #Zugdidi October last year - Badri #Esebua, accused of the attack, still isn't arrested pic.twitter.com/UeTmNGpykH
However, over an hour before his detention all the hostages were safely released.
All hostages held captive by an armed bank robber have been released and an operation is underway to arrest the assailant of the Bank of Georgia branch in the Kvareli district of eastern Georgian region of Kakheti.
Georgian Minister of Internal Affairs Vakhtang Gomelauri has stated that he has reliable information that Badri Esebua, the Zugdidi bank robber who took hostages, escaped with half a million USD and has been hiding for eight months, is still in Georgia.
A Bank of Georgia branch in Digomi, Tbilisi was robbed earlier today.
The Georgian Interior Ministry has announced today that the armed attacker on the Bank of Georgia branch in the western town of Zugdidi has been identified. However, the ministry calls on all media outlets and the public not to reveal the identity or a photograph of the offender, in case they somehow happen to receive information, in order not to interfere in the police investigation.