A family from East Canje in Berbice has been left traumatised after members were robbed by armed bandits who barged into their home as they were closing up on Thursday night.
Reports are that about 22:00hrs, two men, one of whom was armed with a handgun and the other with a knife, went to the Lot 16 First Street, Adelphi, East Canje house which had a shop attached. At the time, five persons were at home and the bandits tied them up as they ransacked the house searching for valuable items.
According to one of the occupants, Kamaldai Balram, she and her husband were closing up the house when the men scaled the fence and prevented them from securing the door. She recalled that her husband was at the door about to secure the lock when the gun wielding bandit confronted him.
Balram said she tried to escape but was caught by the other man carrying a knife and was bounded with a hand towel. She said one of the men stood guard over her husband and son while the other went to the upper flat of the building and ransacked it in search of valuables. However, he only found a wallet belonging to her son with an undisclosed sum of cash.
According to the traumatised woman, the armed man then returned to her and told her that he will have to accompany her upstairs since she knew where the money and jewellery were. “I tell he that I aint get no jewellery only this ring on me finger and I get some money upstairs, ah gon give you,” she recounted.
Meanwhile, Balram further revealed that several small sums of money were handed over to the perpetrators estimated to be in the sum of $300,000, which included money her daughter was saving to visit the dentist. She added too that the ring she was wearing on her finger at the time was also taken.
“The phone downstairs been ring one time and it ring back again, and the one downstairs tell the other one is time to go. He (upstairs bandit) then take a bag and put all the cellphones inside (six in total) and some cigarettes and coffee and juice from the shop and then jump back over the fence same time the Police coming,” she recalled.
The woman said the entire ordeal lasted about 45 minutes. She noted that the Police arrived just as the men made their way out of the house but were unable to make an arrest, despite searching the area for several hours.
Nevertheless, investigators later returned to the scene where they were able to obtain fingerprints.
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Guyanese must form policing communities. It’s understood police can’t be there to witness these happenings, however it seems they are never around… Not even soon after. Citizens will have to take matters in their hands. The burglars are targeting businesses… The return of vigilantes is necessary….. Law enforcement and the communities must work together. What happen to the patrols that was implemented during the previous administration. I’m surprised a military leader finds it difficult to protect the people… May be Ramjaaaattaaan isn’t right for the job. Let’s protect our citizens.