One of the 15 men convicted in the dramatic Nokas robbery in Norway 21 years ago was found shot and killed Thursday night in a forest bordering on a residential area of Oslo’s east side. Police have called in reinforcements during the Easter holiday weekend to aid the investigation.
Neighbours called police after hearing two gunshots at around 10:15pm coming from the forest at Oppsal. The body of 46-year-old Metkel Betew was found around a half-hour later and police think the murder was well-planned and “goal-oriented.”
Betew had a long criminal record dating back to 1998, when he was first sentenced for what became a string of robberies of money couriers for local banks in Oslo. He was sentenced to his longest jail term, 16 years, after taking part in what still ranks as Norway’s biggest robbery ever: Seizing NOK 57.4 million in cash from Norsk Kontantservice (Nokas) in Stavanger on April 5, 2004. A police officer was killed during a shootout that followed the robbery. The cash was never recovered.
Betew, who didn’t admit to having taken part in the Nokas robbery until last year, had been released on probation just 10 years later but jailed again for violating parole and again after also being convicted of drug smuggling in 2015. He was most recently released from prison in June of last year.
“This is a serious and brutal case, police inspector Grete Lien Metlid told reporters at a press conference on Friday. They had no immediate suspect but think Betew’s murder was tied to earlier offenses and that he was not “a coincidental victim.”
NewsinEnglish.no staff
