CID report on probe so far

failed due to lack of funds. Rakna Arakshaka Lanka Limited a governmentowned Commercial Security Venture functioning directly under the Ministry of Defence had asked for Rs five million, but the Ministry could not afford such an amount, he said.

Dr. Balasuriya also said requests to the Treasury for more funds had not met with a positive response until the break-in, while requests to the Police for added security around the Museum at nights, was also not heeded.

A museum official who did not wish to be named told the Sunday Times that he believed that the robbers’ main target would have been the section where the coins and weapons are located on the first floor. Officially known as section 11,12 and 13 they can be accessed through the same entrance.

He said that it appeared that the suspects had taken away some of the newer-looking commemorative coins leaving behind some of the more valuable ones that belonged to the Dutch and Portuguese period.

He said one of the items robbed was a sword scabbard studded with gems. The fact that the robbers had left behind the sword was an indication that the robbers may have had prior knowledge about the actual value of the items although they had entered a treasure trove in the museum.

Meanwhile the Sunday Times learns that following the break-in new precautionary steps are in place.

The CID has submitted a report to the Colombo Chief Magistrate Rashmi Singappuli about the progress of the investigations into the robbery.

Investigations unit OIC Inspector Roshan Masimbula said after the recent lightning strike the Director General of the National Museum Nanda Wickremesinghe had given permission to disconnect the power supplies to the CCTV Cameras.

The reports also said that the Vocational Training Institute, responsible for the maintenance of the CCTV system responding to a request by Museum officials to check the malfunction had said they would visit the premises on March 19 to attend to the repairs. However the robbery took place on March 16.

The CID informed that they had found a cap some beedi stumps, and hair from the premises while they had fingerprinted the curtains that had been used by the

They include visitors being told to write down their names on a register before entering the Museum. Those visiting as a group have to write down the numbers visiting.

Additional police guards have been posted at the front and rear entrances.

Staff at the respective galleries have been asked to be extra vigilant and to keep a close surveillance on the visitors.

The Committee that probed the robbery has also recommended that a post of Chief Security officer be created and a request to this effect has been made to the Salaries and Cadres Committee. robbers to get away.

Statements from 14 Museum, officials and two technical advisors of the Vocational Training Institute have also been recorded while a technical report has been sought from the Information Technology unit of the Colombo University about the CCTV cameras.

The CID also sought permission to carryout a DNA test if required.

Further progress of the investigations will be reported to Courts on March 28.

Police Spokesman SP Ajith Rohana told the Sunday Times that they were confident that the suspects will be arrested shortly.

The Museum was reopened to the public on Thursday, but the first floor where the robbery was committed remains closed.

Many visitors had been curious to know from where the robbers had entered the Museum. Among them was a 12 year old girl in school uniform who visited the place on Friday. On seeing a staffer she asked him innocently, ‘uncle, from where did the robbers enter’, to which he pointed at the place but became quite tearful as he did so.