Suspect on the run after currency exchange robbery in Amman

AMMAN — Police on Thursday said they are searching for a suspect who allegedly robbed a currency exchange in Amman a day earlier.

The suspect reportedly entered the currency exchange shop on Wednesday night waving a gun and demanding cash, Police Spokesperson Lt. Col. Amer Sartawi said.

The suspect escaped with JD2,000 in cash, the police official told The Jordan Times.

A video that went viral online shows a man wearing a hoodie and covering half his face entering an exchange shop. Following a brief conversation with three employees, the man is seen waving a gun at the employees.

Two of the employees are seen on tape opening their drawers and handing the suspect stacks of bills.

The police official said a special investigation team from the Criminal Investigation Department and other relevant police entities joined forces to investigate the incident.

The Wednesday robbery is the third to target a currency exchange in the Kingdom in the past three months..

In March, a man, also fully dressed in black and covering most of his face with a scarf, robbed a currency exchange shop in an Amman neighbourhood while waving a sharp object.

The suspect, who was arrested shortly after the robbery, escaped with JD7,000.

“Police were able to retrieve part of the stolen cash since the suspect confessed to depositing some of the money in his personal bank account,” Sartawi said in March, without revealing the amount recovered.

On February 9, a man reportedly entered a money exchange shop in Irbid, jumped over the counter and cleared the drawers, escaping with JD11,000 in cash.

Meanwhile, several armed robberies have targeted financial establishments and other entities in recent months.

In January, two suspects reportedly robbed a gas station at gunpoint in northern Shouneh, escaping with JD1,700.

The two suspects attacked the station employee with a blunt object while pumping gas.

Police announced then that one of the suspects was arrested, and that police were able to retrieve a portion of the stolen cash.

In June 2020, a currency exchange near Airport Road was robbed as several suspects entered the premises waving guns at the employees and demanding cash.

The suspects escaped with JD3,000 in cash, and no one was injured in the incident.

If convicted of the charges of armed robbery with excessive force, the suspect could receive a minimum of five years in prison.