Gunmen seize at least $875,000 in Baghdad heist

BAGHDAD, Dec 19 (Reuters) Gunmen including some wearing police uniforms stole at least 1.25 billion Iraqi dinars (875,000 US dollar) in cash in the second major heist in central Baghdad in 10 days, a police source said today.

The source said the gunmen took the money from people who were picking up money for salaries from a bank in the Karrada district of Baghdad today morning.

Earlier the source said the money was for Industry Ministry salaries but the Industry Ministry denied that, saying it was for a state-run company.

An Interior Ministry source said the gunmen stormed the bank itself and took as much as 2 billion dinars ($1.4 million).

There were no injuries reported in the robbery.

Last week gunmen wearing Iraqi army uniforms ambushed a security vehicle transporting money to the Central Bank and made off with 1 million dollar in cash, police and Interior Ministry sources said.

Four private security guards were kidnapped in the daylight robbery in busy Sadoun Street in central Baghdad in an attack that highlighted the lawlessness gripping the capital.

REUTERS PDM PM1915