Daring robbery goes down in Placencia

A daring daylight robbery has left Placencia police scouring the peninsula for three bank robbers. Reports are that around 1:30 this afternoon three masked men armed with shotguns walked into the Atlantic Bank branch and demanded money. After receiving an undisclosed amount of cash, the men got away by stealing a bank vehicle from the parking lot. Two off-duty police officers got wind of the situation and took off in hot pursuit of the crooks. The chase headed north towards Seine Bight and almost ended when the robbers’ truck overturned. At that point the men commandeered another vehicle and took off again. By this time Placencia police had joined the chase and News 5 understands that shots were exchanged. Probably realising they would be caught, the thieves abandoned the vehicle near The Plantation in Maya Beach and took off on foot leaving the money and a shotgun behind. An intensive manhunt was immediately launched with two local airlines providing air surveillance and residents helping police search the lagoon and forested area of the peninsula. At news time tonight, unconfirmed reports are that two of the suspects have been caught.