By Wendy Anders

• Breaking News

Police have just captured the first of the four people wanted for robbing a pineapple plantation in Chomes, Puntarenas yesterday. He was hiding in a vacant lot.

The four made off with CRC20 million (about US$36,000) in a hold-up yesterday afternoon, reported AM Prensa, a Costa Rican Spanish digital news site.

The assault occurred when the plantation contractor began disbursing pay to the farm’s roughly 300 workers. The four suspects used force to knock several people to the ground and to tie up four others, reported AM Prensa, in order to make off with the cash. The group apparently had inside information about the time the cash would be paid.

Police were immediately alerted, and set up roadblocks on the highway near the farm entrance. When the suspects, who fled in a car, neared the roadblock, they fired upon the officers leaving two officers, one man and one woman, wounded, reported AM Prensa yesterday.

The suspects stole the policewoman’s gun in the attack on the roadblock. This weapon was recovered in today’s arrest. Further details on the medical condition of these officers is not currently available, said the Public Security Ministry.

After shooting at the police officers, the suspects then fled on foot towards the forested hills and camped out in a vacant lot, said the Security Ministry in a press release today.

Police mounted an intensive search of the surrounding area, involving special units, aerial searches, and the canine unit.

Arrieta, the 22-year-old man who was captured today, apparently has some health problems which made it easier for him to be captured. He also has a criminal record for robbery dating from 2014, stated the ministry.