8 lakhs of Warnaweera robbed ... at hotel in Panadura!

8 lakhs of Warnaweera robbed ... at hotel in Panadura!

A robbery has taken place at a hotel where former Test player and curator in charge of Galle Playground, Jayananda Warnaweera became the victim of jewellery and cash valuing to about 8 lakhs, it is reported.

Mr. Warnaweera was in the habit of lodging at this particular hotel situated close to the bridge in Thalpitiya, Panadura. A few days back on the occasion when he had

come to meet some friends in Colombo he had stayed in this very same hotel. He had gone to sleep around 10.30 in the night and on waking up at about 5 early morning, he had noticed that windows of the room were opened. He also then found that the jewellery and cash that he had placed on the table in the room had disappeared.

On that occasion when he inquired from employees, they had responded saying that it was a place where robberies were frequently taking place. Warnaweera has then sought the assistance of the Panadura Police to lodge a complaint in this connection. Subsequently when CCTV cameras of the hotel were scrutinised, it was found that those cameras had been turned sideways prior to the robbery.

Mr. Warnaweera has expressed suspicion that this robbery had been carried out by employees of this hotel itself. He has said that on a previous occasion too a similar robbery of cash being stolen has taken place at a time that he was lodging in that hotel; however that he had taken no interest in informing police about it. As a result of this he had stated that he had lost jewellery and about Rs. 35000 in cash belonging to him, all totalling close to 8 lakhs.

The police say that even before this, foreigners too have complained that robberies amounting to lakhs of rupees had taken place at this hotel close to the bridge in Thalpitiya, Panadura where this particular robbery had occured. Further investigations are underway in connection with this incident.