…threatened to shoot baby in the process
By Kristen Macklingam
One man is now hospitalised after being shot by a bandit and his family has been left traumatised after they were terrorised by the gunman and his knife-wielding accomplice in their home last night.
Reports are that around 19:00h, the two perpetrators invaded a business and home at lot 3 Bella Dam, Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara (WBD) holding the family hostage at both gun and knife point.
Ravita Seegobin told INews that she was walking down the steps of her house when she came into contact with the bandits. One of the men pointed a gun in her direction as his accomplice held his knife to her brother.
The visibly traumatised young lady explained that the perpetrators demanded that she hand over her jewellery that she was wearing at the time; this included her gold bracelet, wedding band and more.
The two thieves then forced her and her brother up the stairs back into the house where her husband and their little baby were.
According to Ravita, the gunman slammed her into the wall and pulled her by her hair demanding that she hand over all the money that she had as well as what was kept in the house. She fell to the ground and the perpetrator kicked her and used his feet to roll her over repeatedly asking for money.
She then told him that she had no money as his accomplice carried out a search in the house for any valuables that may have been stashed.
At this point her father, Prakash Seegobin a.k.a Jai, had just returned home and instantly became a target for the bandits. He was gun-butted by one of the bandits several times. He fell to the floor as the gunman demanded that he hand over all the monies he had. So the injured man, fearing for the safety of his family, took the money from his pockets which amounted to over $200,000 GYD and handed it over to his attacker.
However, the bandit was not done with him and continued to hit the older man across his face with the gun. INews understands that in the process of hitting Seegobin and tugging at his daughter, the young woman fell again near her father’s foot and that is when the bandit fired a shot, injuring Seegobin in the process.
According to Ravita, the men took her upstairs again and managed to unearth over GYD $100,000 which she had stored in a handbag in her bedroom.
After finding the money and other jewellery, the gunman threatened that if she did not hand over more money he would shoot her baby to death.
Ravita panicked and pleaded with the bandits to search the house once again and take whatever they wished, but to not harm her little daughter. The duo then snatched an ipad, a laptop belonging to her brother and other valuables before they made their way down the stairs.
INews was told that the ordeal lasted for over 30 minutes but neighbours could not assist since they were fearful of being shot at by the bandits.
Ravita added that the two thieves ran out of her yard and escaped on foot, but was later notified by someone in the village that a white car had been parked on the public road waiting for the duo and aided in their escape. The young woman told INews that the men had used handkerchiefs to conceal half of their faces.
This online publication understands that the building is equipped with surveillance cameras and that police investigators were able to obtain clear footage of the robbery.
Police ranks are investigating the matter.
