After a hold up at the Asociacion Cibao de Ahorros y Prestamos, a savings and loans bank, in Santiago for two hours yesterday, Thursday 15 November, 26-year old Manuel Alejandro Paulino turned himself into the authorities around 2:10pm. He held seven hostages during the ordeal. Paulino’s father was brought in to mediate so that he would desist and hand himself in. Two accomplices managed to escape the scene and are now on the run from the authorities.
Paulino asked Channel 37 cameraman Roberto Reyes, who he knows because they live in the same neighborhood, to film the scene inside the bank, but also to bring a bottle of rum, as reported in Listin Diario. This didn’t happen.
General Garcia Cueva, director of the Police Cibao Central division said that a police agent was injured before Paulino turned himself in and released all the hostages. He first released two women and one of the security guards posted at the branch.
Santiago prosecutor Luisa Liranzo was on the scene during negotiations for Paulino to hand himself in. She helped negotiate the release of the employees and the robber demanded guarantees for his own life.
The branch is located on Av. Presidente Antonio Guzman near the Barranquita and CURSA-UASD.
Diario Libre reported that according to the Santiago Police RD$1,795,158 was stolen from the bank. The Police identified Ramon Roberto Jimenez Pichardo (Roberto Muela) as one of the fugitives. The Police say that two assailants entered the bank, of whom one is under arrest, but witnesses told Diario Libre that three others were involved and left in time with the cash.
The hold up started at 11:45am. The Police say that the robbers disarmed the watchmen, Luis Maria Santiago Santana and Cecilio Heredia Jerez of the Coacisa security company and used their weapons to threaten the customers and bank officers inside the bank. The Police reported that the robbers took the keys of a vehicle belonging to branch manager Soledad Almonte. While leaving the scene, before getting into the vehicle, they shot at a police patrol that was passing by, injuring one of the policemen. The police was able to prevent the vehicle from being stolen and seized the rifle, but one of the two men was able to escape. Paulino went back into the bank where he held the manager, customers and the two guards hostage, until he turned himself in. Several of the bank’s windows were broken during the frightening incident.