Conflict Incident Report

BEIRUT: Police officers arrested three men suspected of robbing a Bank Audi branch in Beirut’s Hazmieh area and making off with over $50,000. The three suspects were arrested by Information Branch agents in the Khaldeh, Bsous and Aitat areas of Mount Lebanon, according to an Internal Security Forces statement. During the arrest, agents discovered and confiscated a portion of the stolen money as well as a pistol, a Kalashnikov assault rifle and the escape vehicle. The suspects have allegedly admitted to the robbery. The recovered money was returned to Bank Audi. Although the incident was one in a string of similar crimes targeting Beirut’s suburban banks, ISF sources have rejected the idea that a single coordinated crime network is behind the robberies. Few bank branches in Lebanon have security systems that are able to prevent armed robbers from physically reaching bank employees.