-Police hunting “known characters”
Police are presently hunting four men who reportedly robbed staff attached to Ideal Group an auto sales and service business located in Little Diamond, East Bank Demerara on Tuesday morning as they were returning to work from a commercial bank in Diamond, East Bank Demerara.
According to the business entity’s Vice President of Operations, Jailall Ragunauth, the incident occurred at around 11:30hrs in front of the Auto sales’ entrance located on the northern side of the compound.
INews understands that the vehicle, which was occupied by a driver and female employee, had travelled to the bank to conduct “paperwork transactions.”
“As far as I’m told the vehicle [company vehicle] just came back from [the bank]. They did a bank transaction… a paper work transaction and they came back and were awaiting the security to open the gate,” Ragunauth explained.
He further told the media that according to reports he received, a silver grey Toyota 212 motorcar drove up to the company vehicle during that time, and three masked, armed men exited, while a fourth remained in the vehicle.
“Four guys. I was told all four had guns, stuck up the driver and the staff in the vehicle, took away her purse and they went away,” he said.
The female employee who experienced the ordeal was too traumatised to speak to the media. However, it was relayed that she lost a quantity of cash and other valuables when the thieves took her hand bag.
The driver of the company vehicle was also relieved of his mobile phone.
According to the security guard attached to the facility, he had left his post to retrieve some drinking water and as he was returning, he observed the car alongside the company vehicle, and the men in the process of robbing their victims.
“I went for water and when I coming out fuh open the gate, I see a car, three men deh outside and the car backing. They do wa they got fuh do and then they drive away…The [company] driver seh he get a cuff…I had to run, cause is three of them with gun out deh,” he recalled.
INews was informed that the security guard is usually unarmed at his post on a daily basis.
The VP of Operations has since indicated that security will be upgraded at the facility, noting that this is the first time an encounter of this nature has occurred since the establishment came into existence in 2015.
Police have confirmed that an investigation is ongoing and the perpetrators are “known characters.” (Ramona Luthi)
