Police confirmed on Thursday that they have arrested a suspect in what’s been called the “unusually brutal” armed robbery of a jewelry store in Oslo two weekends ago. As many as five suspects took part in the robbery, firing automatic weapons on the street to terrify witnesses.
Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) reported that Oslo police raided an apartment in the city’s Gamlebyen neighbourhood on Monday in connection with a narcotics investigation. Links to the jewelry store robbery reportedly emerged while one of the two men found in the apartment was questioned by police.
Midday shock
The robbery played out in broad daylight in the middle of a busy Saturday shopping day in Oslo’s Grønland district. The robbers’ target was the Sheikh Enterprises clothing and jewelry store on Schweigaards Gata, but it was the dramatic shooting in the street that shocked onlookers and police themselves.
A manhunt has been underway ever since. Police Inspector Einar Aas of the Oslo Police District’s section specializing in organized crime told NRK the suspect now under arrest is a Swedish citizen in his 20s.
NRK reported that he was initially charged with narcotics violations but the charges were later expanded to include the robbery. Aas was reluctant to reveal details behind the expanded charges.
“I can only confirm that a person is charged with contributing to a robbery and will face a custody hearing this afternoon,” Aas told NRK. “We otherwise are working on the case.”
Getaway car link
NRK reported that the arrest was made in an apartment on Arups Gate in Gamlebyen, where the police earlier claimed they’d found another of the robbers’ getaway cars, a red Audi A3.
Police technicians have been combing the apartment but reportedly found none of the goods stolen from Sheikh Enterprises. Police are believed, however, to have technical and tactical evidence tying the suspect to the robbery.
They also had earlier claimed the robbery resembled other brutal robberies in Sweden that have involved masked and heavily armed men, and shooting. Such robberies are unusual in Norway, although commando-style heists have occurred before and led to shooting on the street.
newsinenglish.no/Nina Berglund
