Police investigate a Pepiliyana massage parlour robbery in which a hooded gang beat the owner and stole cash and valuables.
Boralesgamuwa Police have launched a major investigation after a Pepiliyana massage parlour robbery left its owner injured and caused losses worth millions of rupees.
A hooded gang stormed the business on the Piliyandala-Colombo Road, assaulted the owner and ransacked the premises. Several specialised police units are now searching for the suspects.
Police said the armed group terrorised those inside before escaping with cash and valuables. The attackers tore a gold chain and pendant, valued at about Rs. 700,000, from the owner’s neck. They also stole Rs. 116,500 in cash from his pockets.
The gang allegedly took another Rs. 205,000 from a foreign woman who was inside the business. In addition, the attackers caused property damage estimated at Rs. 850,000.
Pepiliyana Massage Parlour Robbery Happened Before Dawn
The owner, who employs a Thai national and two local women, said he awoke at about 2:00 a.m. on July 10. He heard glass shattering and objects crashing inside the building.
“A group of about ten guys with their faces completely covered, armed with machetes and clubs, burst into the bedroom where the Thai woman and I were sleeping,” the owner stated in his police report. “They immediately started beating us. Because of the masks, I couldn’t identify any of them.”
The owner also gave detectives a possible lead. He said a local figure known as “Madiwelawatte Panuwa” called him on June 21 and threatened to “shut down” the massage parlour if he continued operating.
After the assault, the injured owner contacted the 1990 emergency paramedic service. An ambulance then took him to Kalubowila Teaching Hospital, where doctors admitted him for treatment.
Before fleeing, the gang smashed doors, windows, drywall partitions, toilets and bathroom fittings. They also destroyed televisions, blenders, rice cookers and storage cabinets.
The attackers then located the security system and removed the DVR box containing the CCTV recordings. Police believe this prevented investigators from immediately accessing footage of the raid.
The Boralesgamuwa Police Department continues to pursue every available lead as specialised teams work to identify and arrest the hooded suspects.
