Three members of an organized crime gang were arrested in Galle for robbing money and property from foreign tourists in tourist hotels island-wide.

The police have also arrested two cars along with the suspects.

Dambulla police had recently received many complaints from Dambulla, Sigiriya and Habarana with regard to robberies conducted by breaking and entering incidents in hotel rooms where foreign tourists have been lodging.

Following the inspection of footages from CCTV cameras set up in tourist hotels and main roads, it was revealed that the suspects had been staying in Manoriyawatta area in Galle, and Dambulla police officers made the arrest in a raid.

Police interrogations were conducted on a special detention order issued by the Dambulla Magistrate’s Court. It was revealed that four other individuals had also been involved in the gang robberies.
 
They had been engaged in this racket for many years in Dambulla, Habarana, Sigiriya, Galle, Matara, Tissamaharama, Arugmabay, Trincomalee, Arugambay and Nuwara Eliya areas.

According to the police, many information on the thieves are being uncovered by many police stations island-wide.

The suspects are reportedly residents of Galle, Rathgama and Manoriyawatta areas.

Police investigations have uncovered that the gang check online booking services for the dates in which tourist hotels were booked entirely. Then they check out such places during the daytime and carry out the robberies by entering the hotel rooms secretively at dawn.

The main targets of the suspects had been the locations of the hotels where CCTV cameras were deactivated.