Armed robbery cops quiz Robbie

ROBBIE Williams is being quizzed by police probing an armed robbery carried out by three thugs.

The cops want to see if Robbie, 35, can help them discover if there is any link between the raid and photos taken of the star smoking a large roll-up cigarette in the Bahamas.

A public row erupted between Robbie’s group and two snappers, who were later robbed at gunpoint by bandits who took their cameras and cash.

Hours after the angry confrontation, British photographer Matt Sanchez and American Carlos Mendez were robbed at gunpoint in their beach cottage.

Three thugs smashed their way in at 3am, held a pistol to Mendez's head and threatened to kill the pair. They made off with £15,000-worth of cameras, clothes, travel documents and cash.

Witnesses

Police are investigating whether the robbers knew about the row over the pictures, taken as Robbie sat on a jet-ski by a beach.

And they are interviewing a number of potential witnesses including Angels singer Robbie, 35.

He may be prevented from leaving the Bahamas island of Staniel Cay while they complete their inquiry.

He has rented an ocean-front mansion there to take a sunshine break with dad Pete Conway, his actress girlfriend Ayda Field, 30, and two other couples.

Three local men in their 20s and 30s have been arrested over the robbery.

Escapology ... Robbie Williams' holiday hideaway

Splash

Bahamas police chief Ellsworth Moss - based in the capital, Nassau - said: "We are in the process of speaking to Robbie Williams.

"I sent a team of officers from Nassau to the island yesterday and I am waiting for them to report back to me.

"They are going to speak to everybody who would have been party to whatever may or may not have happened on the beach. From the information we get from him we will know exactly where to move with the investigation."

Asked if Robbie was free to leave Staniel Cay, Mr Moss replied: "It all depends on our interview with him.

"We'll make a determination as to whether he can help us or not."

Robbie is NOT being treated as a suspect in the robbery.

One of the bandits cut himself as he broke into the snapper's cottage through a window.

He left blood on a bed sheet and further traces were found on the shattered glass.

A small handgun was recovered from outside the building. Sanchez, 30, said: "We were in fear for our lives. Carlos had a gun put to his head the entire time and we were threatened if we tried to look up from the floor.

"It was a nightmare. We could have been shot dead."

Assistant Commissioner Raymond Gibson said: "Intruders entered the property and robbed them of some equipment and other items.

"We have three persons in custody. We will have to speak to as many people as we can to get to the bottom of what happened.

"We're taking this investigation very seriously. We will leave no stone unturned. Wherever the finger of suspicion points then we will make every effort to speak to these persons."

History

The drama comes almost a year after British honeymooners Catherine and Ben Mullany were shot dead during a robbery on another Caribbean island, Antigua.

Former Take That member Robbie has had a string of huge hits including Millennium and Rock DJ. And he became one of the world's highest-earning pop stars in 2002 by signing an £80million contract with EMI.

But he also has a history of battling depression, drink and drugs.

In February 2007 he checked into a rehabilitation centre in Tucson, Arizona, to be treated for an addiction to the anti-depressant Seroxat.

He left the following month and since then has been "clean".

Cop quiz ... Robbie Williams

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