Two people were detained for armed robbery at a liquor store, including a police officer.

Two suspects in an armed robbery at a liquor store at Anuradhapura Junction in Trincomalee were taken into custody within an hour, according to Sri Lanka Police.

Last night (18), the suspects allegedly broke into the booze store, threatened the staff with a T-56 gun, and then took off with the stolen cash.

Within about an hour of the event, officers from the Trincomalee authorities detained the two suspects when they were staying at a temporary lodging facility in the Uppuveli Police Division after receiving information about the robbery, according to authorities.

One of the accused is a police sergeant who works in an armory near Kilipunchimale and is connected to the Uppuveli Police Station.

Police said, the suspects, aged 54 and 61, are residents of Hakmana.

Police have also taken into custody Rs. 11,500 in cash suspected to have been stolen from the liquor store, the motorcycle allegedly used by the suspects, a T-56 firearm and a magazine containing 29 rounds of ammunition.

Trincomalee Police are conducting further investigations into the incident.