Police trade gunshots with suspected thieves

No one was injured when shots were exchanged between suspected thieves and police during a probable attempted hold-up at the HSBC's Rużar Briffa Centre in Windmill Street, Qormi yesterday evening.

The police said action was taken after they were informed that a person was acting suspiciously in front of the bank's centre at about 7.45 p.m.

A Mobile Squad car, which was on patrol close-by was deployed to the HSBC centre to check but when it arrived on site a car that was parked in front of the bank drove off at high speed.

The police said that this aroused their suspicions and they gave chase but lost track of the car a while later.

The patrol car returned to the spot, and as they arrived the police observed three persons moving away from the HSBC centre. The three fired at the police as soon as they spotted them. The police sought cover behind their vehicle and returned the fire.

No one was injured in the shooting but two cars were hit, one belonging to the police. It is understood that the suspect thieves were also carrying a petrol bomb, which was found on site.

As all this was happening, another vehicle was driven at high speed to the front of the bank's centre and the three suspect thieves dashed into the car and sped off towards Sta Venera.

As more police units arrived various searches were carried out in the neighbourhood. The car used by the suspect thieves was found on fire in the limits of Mosta. Nothing was reported stolen.

Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit has appointed a team of court experts to help in an inquiry.