PUBG task inspires youth for Rs700,000 Lahore bank robbery

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Police say suspect followed clothing, mask shown in PUBG before returning home, resuming game

Police have solved the first bank robbery reported in Lahore this year, arresting a young man accused of looting Rs700,000 from a bank near Bhatta Chowk in broad daylight.

Investigators say the suspect carried out the robbery after receiving a “bank robbery” task in the PUBG game, then returned home, placed the stolen cash on a table and resumed playing the game.

The robbery took place around 9:30am near Bhatta Chowk. According to police, a white car stopped outside the bank and a masked man stepped out before opening its trunk.

The suspect allegedly called the security guard over on the pretext of asking him to retrieve a bag from the vehicle. As the guard approached, the man pulled out a pistol, held him hostage at gunpoint and forced him inside the bank.

The armed robber then reached the cash counter while keeping the security guard at gunpoint and looted Rs700,000. CCTV footage of the incident has surfaced, showing the suspect carrying out the robbery before fleeing the bank.

Police said the entire robbery was executed in about nine minutes. The emergency call regarding the incident was received at 9:19am, according to DIG Operations Faisal Kamran.

After leaving the bank, the suspect reportedly drove directly to his house, which was under construction. Police tracked his movements and arrested him during an operation at a private housing society near the crime scene.

The suspect has been identified as Subhan and had reportedly returned to Pakistan from the UK on September 16. Police said he had recently returned from abroad and suspect that he may have been planning to flee the country again.

According to DIG Operations Faisal Kamran, the suspect was living alone in Lahore while his family remained in the UK.

Investigators say the robbery took an unusual turn after they examined the suspect’s actions following the crime. Police claim he had received a bank robbery task in PUBG and followed the method described in the game.

The suspect allegedly wore the specific clothing and mask shown in the game while carrying out the robbery. After stealing the money, he returned to his under-construction house without showing fear, placed the cash on a table and resumed playing PUBG.

Police said that after reaching home, the suspect changed his vehicle’s number plates and started playing the game again. When officers arrived after tracking him down, they allegedly found the pistol, stolen cash and briefcase placed in front of him while he was playing the game.

Police said the suspect has no previous criminal record.

DIG Operations Faisal Kamran said the suspect had £1,200 when he arrived in Pakistan, but the money eventually ran out. He subsequently had a dispute with his family over his financial situation, according to the police account.

Police said the suspect planned the robbery after watching web series and intended to flee to Islamabad after committing the crime.

According to Faisal Kamran, the suspect parked his vehicle at a house under construction and planned to switch to another vehicle as part of his escape plan. Police also said they were investigating whether drug addiction played a role in the crime.

The police investigation also found that the suspect had purchased a weapon after arriving in Pakistan in April.

Authorities are continuing to investigate the motives behind the robbery, including the suspect’s alleged drug addiction, financial difficulties and the reported influence of online gaming and web series.

Police said the suspect had the stolen Rs700,000, the weapon and other evidence in his possession when he was arrested from the private housing society.

Forensic experts cite evidence loss, flawed DNA profiling among major reasons