Authorities in Colombia are still pursuing two suspects involved in a high-profile robbery at Almirante Padilla Airport in Riohacha, La Guajira. The dramatic heist unfolded on Wednesday when four armed individuals stormed the airport runway, targeting an armored transport vehicle and escaping with several briefcases filled with cash.
According to police reports, the suspects launched their operation during the loading of a plane preparing to depart the coastal city. Eyewitnesses described a chaotic scene as the armed assailants opened fire while approaching both the aircraft and the security vehicle. Although a firefight ensued with the vehicle’s guards, no injuries were reported.
Passengers and airport staff were left in panic, with some witnesses recalling the sight of terrified travelers running for cover with children in tow. A bystander aboard a nearby aircraft captured footage of the incident, which quickly circulated on social media.
Following the heist, the perpetrators fled in a white van, crashing through a security gate at the rear of the airport. They later abandoned and set fire to the vehicle on a nearby road, but not before leaving behind some of the stolen money, which local residents were seen collecting from the blaze.
The suspects then reportedly hijacked another vehicle to continue their escape. Law enforcement deployed a “padlock” operation, closing off escape routes and utilizing drones to track the criminals. Their efforts paid off when police intercepted the stolen vehicle en route to Valledupar, capturing two suspects—identified as Alcides Alberto Villazón Durán and Jhon Jairo Donado Pinto. Authorities recovered three of the stolen briefcases, estimated to contain around 2 billion Colombian pesos, or roughly $460,000 USD, as well as firearms, bulletproof vests, and a cellphone signal jammer.
Donado Pinto is a known figure to law enforcement, suspected of leading a robbery gang named “Los Fósiles,” which operates across northern Colombia. He has also been linked to an illicit weapons trafficking ring smuggling firearms from the U.S. to Colombia.
Two of the four original suspects escaped into a wooded area and remain at large. Authorities have yet to determine how much of the stolen money they may have taken with them.
Local officials have expressed concern about the level of access the criminals had to the airport. Riohacha’s mayor, Genaro Redondo, explained that the attackers took advantage of an emergency entrance usually reserved for fire and rescue vehicles. During a routine cash transfer operation, the suspects infiltrated the grounds, reaching the aircraft as the money was being moved.
The aircraft involved, a Latam Airlines flight scheduled to fly to Bogotá, was not damaged in the incident. The airline later confirmed that all crew, passengers, and staff were unharmed.
Mayor Redondo criticized Aeropuertos de Oriente, the company operating the terminal, for conducting cash transfers without adequate security protocols. “We weren’t informed that these types of operations were taking place, much less without proper safeguards,” he said in a radio interview.
In response to the breach, airport operations were temporarily suspended, and a special security council was convened to evaluate and reinforce safety measures, particularly with the upcoming Holy Week travel surge expected to bring large numbers of visitors to the region.
Authorities have so far dismissed claims that the suspects are part of a local criminal organization, noting that the attackers are not originally from La Guajira. However, they are continuing to investigate potential connections to wider criminal networks.
The search for the remaining suspects is ongoing. Officials have urged the public to share any information that might lead to their capture and are offering a reward of 50 million pesos for leads.
