Italian thieves apologise for bank robbery

ROME, Feb 17 – Two robbers who broke into a bank in Italy on Friday apologised to employees, saying that they were forced to steal because of the economic crisis before making off with 10,000 euros ($13,000).

“Stay calm and we are sorry for the inconvenience but there is a crisis,” one of the balaclava-clad men said during the robbery on a branch of Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena in Sardinia, ANSA news agency reported.

Police officers said they believed a weapon used in the hold-up was a fake since it did not set off a metal detector at the entrance to the bank.

The robbers locked the employees in a room to make their escape.

The Italian economy is in recession and a series of steep budget cuts in recent months to avoid bankruptcy have left many Italians out of pocket.

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