Wuhan police smashed a bank robbery in its downtown area on Tuesday, preventing state assets from being seized, though the sole robber fled in panic, the local Jianghuai Morning Post reported.
At 12:20 pm on December 12, a masked young man with "arms" broke into the Jiahe Road outlet of the Hanyang Branch of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, ordering the bank clerks there to hand out money.
Cool-minded as they are, the bank staff pushed the security buttons which are connected with the city's public security departments. Two minutes after receiving the robbery warning, police squads arrived, the newspaper reported.
Just before the police's showing-up, the cunning robber ran away quick, discarding his mask and hand-gun, which police later found out to be fake.
At present, the police is going all out in pursuing the robber, calling on the public to come up with any tips which could lead to the capture of the offender.
Wuhan police has been on high alert these days for any possible emergencies as China is facing an increasing cases of bank robberies. All the city's bank outlets have been installed with the alarming system, and police have been engaged in city-wide manovers.
Just days ago, a five-men strong gangs robbed a bank branch in downtown Zhengzhou, capital of Central China's Henan Province, killing one security guard and taking away up to 1.8 million yuan. One child was stampeded to death in an ensuing panic outflow of people at a nearby department store, triggered by the fleeing gunmen.
(chinadaily.com.cn 12/14/2000)
