Armed robbery attempt at Tartu Lõunakeskus: 23-year-old man arrested
On Thursday, a 64-year-old man was attacked with a knife at the cash machines in Tartu Lõunakeskus shopping centre. The suspect was found in bushes and the prosecutor is seeking two months in custody.
Knife attack at Tartu shopping centre ends with suspect apprehended
On Thursday at 18.53, the emergency centre received a top priority call: an attempted robbery had been committed at the cash machines in Tartu Lõunakeskus shopping centre, during which a person was injured. According to Mke.ee, when police arrived at the scene, a 64-year-old man with a knife wound was present, and the attacker had already left the shopping centre.
First aid was provided to the victim by one of the other shoppers. An ambulance transported the man to hospital, where the wound was stitched — he was subsequently released for home treatment.
Tartu police division head Lauri Lill said that the report of an armed robbery was responded to with large forces: patrols, rapid response units and a dog handler with a service dog were deployed. "We immediately began working on fresh leads to apprehend the dangerous criminal," explained Lill. The service dog picked up the trail and within a few minutes the man was found in bushes near Lõunakeskus. Since the attacker himself was also injured, police officers provided him with life-saving first aid and called an ambulance.
According to Lill, the same 23-year-old man had attempted approximately an hour earlier to take money from another visitor at the cash machine, but this attempt failed and he left. This incident was not reported to police, which meant the attacker was able to return to the shopping centre and carry out a second robbery attempt. "According to current information, the attacker and victims did not know each other — he chose his victims randomly," noted Lill.
The 23-year-old suspect was first taken to hospital and then placed in custody at Tartu prison. The man has prior contact with police for various offences, but has no history of violent acts.
Criminal proceedings have been initiated under the robbery statute and the investigation is being conducted by the South District Prosecutor's Office. Prosecutor Priit Tõnisson stated that the prosecutor is seeking the court to detain the suspect for two months. "No sum of money can justify putting another person's life or health at risk. In this case, the person sustained a knife wound," emphasised Tõnisson.
Lill stressed that such incidents must always be reported to police immediately on 112. "The sooner information reaches police, the greater the likelihood of quickly apprehending the dangerous person and preventing new crimes," said the division head.
Source: Google News EE — Crime (et)