Man Threatens to Set Fire to Gasoline Canisters in Lebanon Bank Robbery
A man in Lebanon recently made headlines after he broke into a bank and threatened to set fire to gasoline canisters he had brought with him, in an attempt to recover his deposit.
The incident occurred at the Al-Mawarid Bank branch in Antelias, a suburb of Beirut, when the depositor, Edgar Awad, and his 13-year-old son entered the bank and threw the canisters on the floor.
The bank employees screamed as Awad threatened to ignite the canisters if his demand for the return of his deposit was not met.
According to Alaa Khorshid, head of the Depositors' Association, Awad had calculated that he had taken more than $50,000, and he turned himself in to the nearest police station and handed over the rest of the money, keeping only the value of his deposit, which was around $14,800.
The incident highlights the economic struggles in Lebanon, where the Central Bank of Lebanon decided to seize foreign currency bank deposits and prevent transfers in 2019 due to protests and the country's economic collapse.
The measure is still in force, and it has led to a situation where depositors are only allowed to withdraw $400 per month at an exchange rate of 15,000 Lebanese pounds, and $400 in fresh dollars.
This has caused banks to get rid of their small deposits over the past two years.
In a related incident, a 40-year-old woman in Beirut committed a robbery after breaking into a supermarket and brandishing what appeared to be a gun.
The woman, who was previously imprisoned for drug trafficking, drug use, prostitution, and theft, was eventually apprehended by the Lebanese authorities.
In conclusion, the recent incidents in Lebanon highlight the economic struggles facing the country, where people are resorting to desperate measures to recover their financial deposits.
The Central Bank's measures to seize foreign currency bank deposits and prevent transfers have led to a situation where people are only allowed to withdraw a small amount of money per month, leading to frustration and desperation.
The bank employees screamed as Awad threatened to ignite the canisters if his demand for the return of his deposit was not met.
According to Alaa Khorshid, head of the Depositors' Association, Awad had calculated that he had taken more than $50,000, and he turned himself in to the nearest police station and handed over the rest of the money, keeping only the value of his deposit, which was around $14,800.
The incident highlights the economic struggles in Lebanon, where the Central Bank of Lebanon decided to seize foreign currency bank deposits and prevent transfers in 2019 due to protests and the country's economic collapse.
The measure is still in force, and it has led to a situation where depositors are only allowed to withdraw $400 per month at an exchange rate of 15,000 Lebanese pounds, and $400 in fresh dollars.
This has caused banks to get rid of their small deposits over the past two years.
In a related incident, a 40-year-old woman in Beirut committed a robbery after breaking into a supermarket and brandishing what appeared to be a gun.
The woman, who was previously imprisoned for drug trafficking, drug use, prostitution, and theft, was eventually apprehended by the Lebanese authorities.
In conclusion, the recent incidents in Lebanon highlight the economic struggles facing the country, where people are resorting to desperate measures to recover their financial deposits.
The Central Bank's measures to seize foreign currency bank deposits and prevent transfers have led to a situation where people are only allowed to withdraw a small amount of money per month, leading to frustration and desperation.
