Robber frees hostage from pawn shop in Astana - police

"He has set free one of the employees of the pawn shop. The police are currently negotiating with the robber," a source at the Astana police said.

The area around the Lombard-M pawn shop was cordoned off. The police warned the inhabitants of the apartment complex where the pawn shop is housed to stay at home.

Earlier Kazinform reported that unknown men tried to rob the pawn shop. One of the robbers was trapped inside the pawn shop with two employees when the alarm went off and blocked the door.

The Astana police confirmed that the robbery has nothing to do with terrorism.