Ex-minister mugged in crime-ridden Lima

New Peruvian Prime Minister Javier Velasquez Quesquen (L) waves next to Foreign Affairs Minister Jose Garcia Belaunde, after being sworn in at the Government Palace in Lima on July 11, 2009. AFP PHOTO/RAFAEL CORNEJO - ANDINA RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE

New Peruvian Prime Minister Javier Velasquez Quesquen (L) waves next to Foreign Affairs Minister Jose Garcia Belaunde, after being sworn in at the Government Palace in Lima on July 11, 2009. AFP PHOTO/RAFAEL CORNEJO - ANDINA RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE

Published Dec 18, 2010

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A popular former Peruvian prime minister was beaten and robbed in Lima, in a sign that no one is entirely safe from crime on the streets of this South American capital.

A gang of eight robbers punctured the tires of Javier Velasquez's car on the outskirts of Lima before dragging him and his driver out and ordering them to hand over their belongings, local press reports said.

When Velasquez resisted, the robbers punched him in the face several times before taking credit cards, seven mobile phones, a watch, a laptop computer and around $500 in cash.

Security in Peru's cities has become a major concern over the last year as the crime rate has soared alongside economic growth.

Lima, with eight million residents, sees between 600 and 800 robberies every day, 40 percent of them involving weapons, according to press reports. - Sapa-AFP

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