RAWALPINDI, April 17: The armed robbers struck at five places in the city on Tuesday and the victims were deprived of cash, cellphones and gold ornaments, police said.

The worst-hit was the Race Course police area where three armed robberies took place. However, the police could not trace the culprits and recover the loot.

Mrs Azhar Abbas complained to the Airport police that her daughter-in-law was going to a bank branch to deposit a gas bill in Chaklala Scheme III when she was intercepted by three motorbike riders who snatched cash and gold ornaments from her at gunmen.

In another incident, a local trader Asad Abbas was robbed of Rs35,000 and a cellphone by three dacoits in Race Course police station area.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Sulman lodged a complaint with the same police station that he was going home after closing his shop when two armed motorbike riders blocked his way and snatched Rs75,000 and two cellphones from him and escaped from the scene.

In another strike, two gunmen stormed a shop in Afshan Colony and held its owner hostage at gunpoint.

The robbers snatched Rs120,000 and a cellphone from him and fled the shop.

Waqas Ahmed, the assistant manager Utility Store Tahli Mori was robbed of cash by four gunmen who entered the store by posing themselves as customers and later held him and the other staff hostage.

The robbers looted Rs8,000 and snatched cellphones from the officials of the store.