IPOH — An armed man robbed a bank at Taman Silibin, Ipoh, on Tuesday (Dec 24) while holding a female customer at gunpoint.

In the 4pm incident, the man demanded RM28,000 (S$9,200) and threatened to shoot his hostage.

The bank’s employees complied, and the man, who was wearing a motorcycle helmet, fled the premises with his loot and escaped in a nearby getaway car which was driven by an accomplice.

The hostage, who was one of four customers at the bank at the time, was unhurt. The woman, who has a heart condition, declined to be taken for a check-up at the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital.

It is learnt that the suspect had entered the bank alone through a door connected to its automated teller machine (ATM) section.

"He went straight to the bank counter, before grabbing a female customer, believed to be in her 50s, and held her hostage.

"He pointed a pistol at her head and neck, and told the bank’s staff to hand him the money, which they placed in a black bag,” said Perak Criminal Investigation Department deputy chief Assistant Commissioner Zaihairul Idrus.

He added that the bank’s security guard was not near the counter when the incident took place and that the robbery had only taken between three and four minutes.

Mr Zaiharul said that police will examine recordings from closed-circuit television cameras (CCTVs) at the bank as well as nearby premises as part of the investigation, which is being conducted under Section 395/397 of the Penal Code for armed robbery.

He also appealed to anyone with information on the robbery to contact their nearest police station. NEW STRAITS TIMES