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Failed bank robbery, kidnapping

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16 years ago
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TIRANA, March 20 – Police disarmed and arrested a suspected bank robber who held a teenage girl at gun point for almost an hour near the presidential office in Tirana on Friday.
Romeo Leka, 25, born in Lezha, had reportedly served time in the US for narcotics trafficking. His family had immigrated to the US in 1998. Leka was deported to Albania after several arrests there for drug trafficking, armed robbery, bank robbery and weapon possession according to Tirana police chief Tonin Vocaj.
He was deported from the United States in 2007.
After robbing a certain amount of money from Raiffeisen Bank branch at Rogner hotel, Leka held a 19-year old law student at gun point for nearly 30 minutes.
Police and Special Forces units then sealed off the area and were able to get close to the suspect and eventually disarm and arrest him.

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