82 Bank and Gold Shop Robberies in Post-Coup Myanmar Amidst Nationwide Hardship from Falling Living Standards

82 Bank and Gold Shop Robberies in Post-Coup Myanmar Amidst Nationwide Hardship from Falling Living Standards

In the three years following the Military Council's coup, there have been 82 robberies targeting gold shops and banks across Myanmar, as reported by Data for Myanmar.

It has been observed a notable increase in robberies, especially those targeting gold shops and banks in recent times. Such crimes were previously rare before the coup took place”, according to Data for Myanmar.

From early 2021 to February 2024, there were 57 gold shop robberies and 25 bank robberies. bringing a total of 82.. During the nearly 37 months of the coup, there were an average of 2 gold shop and bank robberies per month.

These figures are not all surprising given the dramatic economic slump, increasing unemployment, increasing prices of basic food and a massive drop in living standards.

Mandalay recorded the highest number of gold shop robberies, with 12 incidents, followed by Yangon with 6 occurrences, and Hpakant with 3 incidents, ranking second and third respectively.

Bank robberies peaked in 2021 and 2022 and decreased thereafter, but on the other hand, robberies targeting gold shops increased.

Two fatalities of a shop owner and an employee, along with multiple injuries, resulted from the gold shop robberies.

It is uncertain whether the perpetrators have been apprehended in each case, but the Military Council seems to be prioritizing the investigation of bank robberies. It has been observed that only slightly more than 20 percent of all gold shop robbery cases have been acted upon and prosecuted, Data for Myanmar said.

Data for Myanmar is a research organization that monitors the military activities and violence perpetrated by the Military Council since the coup.

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