A robber holds a gun inside a bank in Altagracia de Orituco in the central state of Guarico, some 350 km (217 miles) south from Caracas, January 29, 2008.

The four bank robbers were arrested by Venezuelan police on Tuesday after they fled in an ambulance from the site of the crime, and the hostages held in the getaway vehicle were liberated, said the governor of Guarico state, Eduardo Manuit.

The four robbers surrendered near Guatire town, 50 km east of Caracas, when the police surrounded their getaway ambulance.

Manuit said the robbers first released three hostages from the ambulance, later they threw their weapons to the street and finally came out together with the other two hostages.

The robbers had fled in the ambulance and hostages from the crime site at Altagracia de Orituco city, some 150 km from Caracas, where the robbers had held some 40 people hostage for over 27 hours in Banco Provincial.

The robbers' ambulance was provided by officials to liberate most of the hostages, except five volunteers - three women and two men- offering themselves to accompany the robbers in their getaway.

Manuit stated that the getaway ambulance was followed by police throughout its route from Altagracia to Guatire and nobody was injured, although some of the hostages were attended in the hospital since they suffered extreme anxiety.
   
The four robbers were handed over to officials and that their lives and integrity are being fully respected, Manuit added.

Manuit said this gang of robbers is completely identified and their boss is a "very dangerous" individual with ample criminal and violent background.

The failed robbery that triggered the kidnapping started on Monday when policemen discovered the bank robbers.
 
(Xinhua News Agency January 30, 2008)