Five suspects have been arrested along with evidence and ammunition in connection with the robbery at gunpoint of the Dragon Palace jewelry shop and the Sinphyutaw money transfer business in Mandalay, according to statements from relevant groups.
On the morning of December 26, two men (under investigation) arrived at the Dragon Palace jewelry shop located on 77th Street between 32 and 33 Streets, Kisnamahi Ward, Chanayethazan Township, Mandalay Region, while the owner, Daw Ohn Mar Aye and six employees were present, on the premises of the shop, and threatened the employees with guns. They took various gold items worth over one billion kyats and about three million kyats in banknotes and fled.
In this incident, security forces are collecting incident reports to identify and arrest the perpetrators, After conducting an investigation in the area, on the morning of December 29, the suspects, Moe Aung aka Aung Moe, a resident of Pauk Kone Village, Phaungpyin Township, and Kyaw Soe Lwin aka Kyaw Gyi aka Pyata, a resident of Daung Tan Village, Depayin Township, were arrested at Nature Guest House located between 25th and 53rd Streets in Aungmyethazan Township, along with an M-5 type gun, one magazine, an M-4 A1 Carbine type gun, three magazines, 83 rounds of various bullets, a Click motorcycle, various gold items weighted 1 petha and 40 ticals obtained from the robbery, and 21.5 million kyats in mixed banknotes.
According to the statements of the arrested persons, Moe Aung aka Aung Moe and Kyaw Soe Lwin aka Kyaw Gyi aka Pyata, Aung Pyae Sone Lwin lived in Nan Oo Lwin Village, Patheingyi Township and Than Htike Htun aka Nga Nai lived in Mai Kone Village, who were accomplices in the robbery, were arrested in their respective homes with a CANDA Wave 110 motorcycle and a mini-Oway used during the robbery, and Tun Min Latt aka Htun Min lived in Anake Thaw Ward, Aungmyethazan Township, who melted down the gold ornaments obtained from the robbery, with the equipment used to melt the gold ornaments at his home that afternoon.
The arrested persons have connection with in other robberies according to the investigation and it was further revealed that the four robbed the Sinphyutaw money transfer business in Maha Myaing (1) Ward, Mahaaungmye Township at gunpoint at 4 pm on December 24 and took 30 million kyats and a vehicle. The vehicle obtained from the robbery was sold to an unknown man for 15 million kyats, the statement said.
According to investigations, the arrested Moe Aung aka Aung Moe is the deputy leader of the PDF group in Satpyarkyin Village, Depayin Township, Sagaing Region, and Kyaw Soe Lwin aka Kyaw Gyi aka Pyata is a member of the PDF group in Taungtan Village, Satpyarkyin Village Tract, Depayin Township. The guns used in the robberies were purchased from PDF member Ko Soe Gyi (under investigation). The two had robbed gold shops in Mandalay and had come to Mandalay to buy more weapons and ammunition with the money they earned. They committed the robberies in collaboration with Aung Pyae Sone Lwin and Than Htike Htun aka Nga Nai, who are close friends of them. On December 24, at 4 pm, Moe Aung aka Aung Moe entered the Sinphyutaw money transfer business in Maha Myaing (1) Ward, Mahaaungmye Township, armed with a MA 5 gun and Kyaw Soe Lwin aka Kyaw Gyi aka Pyata entered the shop armed with a M4 A14 rifle, while Aung Pyae Sone Lwin and Than Htaik Htun aka Nga Nai monitored the situation from outside of the shop.
On December 26, at 8:50 am, Moe Aung aka Aung Moe entered the Dragon Palace jewelry shop armed with a MA-5 rifle, and Kyaw Soe Lwin aka Kyaw Gyi aka Pyata entered the shop armed with a MA-4 A1 rifle, and threatened the employees with a gun. Aung Pyae Sone Lwin monitored the situation from outside of the shop.
In the incident, the PDF members who robbed the Dragon Palace jewelry shop and Sin Phyu Taw Money Exchange at gunpoint were Moe Aung aka Aung Moe, Kyaw Soe Lwin aka Kyaw Gyi aka Pyata and other accomplices, Aung Pyae Sone Lwin, Than Htike Htun aka Nga Nai, and Htun Min Latt aka Htun Min, were identified and arrested along with evidence, gold items and money, weapons and ammunition used in the robbery. They will be continued to take effective action in accordance with the law.
