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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Venezuelan gunmen take hostages | Venezuelan gunmen take hostages |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Four gunmen who held more than 30 hostages in a Venezuelan bank have made their getaway in an ambulance, taking five captives with them. | Four gunmen who held more than 30 hostages in a Venezuelan bank have made their getaway in an ambulance, taking five captives with them. |
| Their escape plan was negotiated with police after a two-day standoff in the town of Altagracia de Orituco, south-east of the capital, Caracas. | Their escape plan was negotiated with police after a two-day standoff in the town of Altagracia de Orituco, south-east of the capital, Caracas. |
| The authorities had promised not to follow the ambulance, which one of the hostages had been assigned to drive. | The authorities had promised not to follow the ambulance, which one of the hostages had been assigned to drive. |
| The remaining hostages were greeted by a crowd of relatives and reporters. | The remaining hostages were greeted by a crowd of relatives and reporters. |
| Guarico state governor Eduardo Manuitt said: "The important part of this was saving the lives of the hostages. | Guarico state governor Eduardo Manuitt said: "The important part of this was saving the lives of the hostages. |
| "They threatened to start killing the hostages in 20 minutes, and for that reason they were allowed to leave for an unknown location to the west." | "They threatened to start killing the hostages in 20 minutes, and for that reason they were allowed to leave for an unknown location to the west." |
| Siege | Siege |
| He added that the five captives had volunteered to go with the gunmen, who promised to leave them along the way. | He added that the five captives had volunteered to go with the gunmen, who promised to leave them along the way. |
| Justice Minister Ramon Rodriguez Chacin said the gunmen were in their early 20s and had been taking drugs, which made the situation particularly volatile. | Justice Minister Ramon Rodriguez Chacin said the gunmen were in their early 20s and had been taking drugs, which made the situation particularly volatile. |
| But freed hostage Juan Carlos Gil said apart from threats to kill a security guard, their treatment was "excellent". | |
| "After five or six hours, they began to let down their guard saying, 'You aren't going to die'," said the 19-year-old. | |
| "They were nervous, but it was all an atmosphere as if they were everyone's friends." | |
| She's very brave. I know she's going to come out of this fine Jasmin Gonzalez,mother of hostage | She's very brave. I know she's going to come out of this fine Jasmin Gonzalez,mother of hostage |
| It is still unclear how many hostages were left behind. The gunmen had released several hostages during the siege, while two managed to escape. | |
| Bank executive Leon Enrique Cottin claimed there were 33 hostages, but Governor Manuitt said 50 were being released, including several children and a pregnant woman. | Bank executive Leon Enrique Cottin claimed there were 33 hostages, but Governor Manuitt said 50 were being released, including several children and a pregnant woman. |
| Hundreds of relatives had gathered outside the Banco Provincial and some of those freed were led to waiting ambulances, but there no reports of injuries. | |
| The standoff in the quiet farming town began on Monday morning following a botched robbery. | The standoff in the quiet farming town began on Monday morning following a botched robbery. |
| Pleas | Pleas |
| It is understood the gunmen, armed with pistols and a hand grenade, were surprised by a uniformed police officer who pulled up to use the cash machine. | |
| During the night, the gunmen had accepted a package with nappies and a bottle for a two-week-old baby. | During the night, the gunmen had accepted a package with nappies and a bottle for a two-week-old baby. |
| On Tuesday, hostages held up handwritten help signs at the bank's windows, and used mobile phones to call and send text messages to their families. | On Tuesday, hostages held up handwritten help signs at the bank's windows, and used mobile phones to call and send text messages to their families. |
| One of the hostages said to have gone with the robbers is 25-year-old bank teller Vanessa Saavedra. | One of the hostages said to have gone with the robbers is 25-year-old bank teller Vanessa Saavedra. |
| Speaking outside the bank, her distraught mother Jasmin Gonzalez told the AP news agency: "She's very brave. I know she's going to come out of this fine." | Speaking outside the bank, her distraught mother Jasmin Gonzalez told the AP news agency: "She's very brave. I know she's going to come out of this fine." |
| Before the gunmen escaped, Ms Saavedra spoke to Colombia's Caracol Radio. | Before the gunmen escaped, Ms Saavedra spoke to Colombia's Caracol Radio. |
| She said: "We don't want them to shoot... We don't want them to open fire." | She said: "We don't want them to shoot... We don't want them to open fire." |
| Security cameras captured images of the gunmen until they were cut-off and the footage has been handed to the authorities. | Security cameras captured images of the gunmen until they were cut-off and the footage has been handed to the authorities. |