Moscow, Dec 29 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Three armed robbers, dressed as Father Frost, took away entire gold jewellery from a shop in Russia’s Siberian city, police said Thursday.
Father Frost, or Grandfather Frost, is the key figure of the Russian New Year, who arrives wearing a red caftan or, old-style long garment decorated with traditional embroidering and edged with snow-white fluff, a red cap, white mittens and felt boots.
The three hoax New Year gift-givers stood outside the shop in Novosibirsk city for a while, greeting passers-by, probably carefully timing the robbery.
Their behaviour did not seem suspicious to the pawn shop’s staff and visitors, who thought the three men were involved in an advertising campaign. By evening, the three ‘Father Frosts’ entered the shop, waving shotguns.
‘The three men acted defiantly, without a moment of hesitation. They shot four times. So everyone took them seriously,’ said district police chief Yuri Titovich.
Though the owner is yet to assess the damage, it is known that the robbers, wearing masks and false beards, took away all gold jewellery from the shop, including at least 160 gold chains.
Police are checking footage from surveillance cameras in the shop to track the robbers.
–IANS/RIA Novosti
sd/vt
