Armed, unmasked bandits terrorise La Jalousie businessman, his family and customers

* escaped with quantity of electronic items, cash and jewellery as well as businessman’s handgun and shotgun

As the crime wave continues to spiral out of control, a West Coast Demerara (WCD) family is left traumatised after four unmasked bandits, all armed, barged into their business and terrorised them before taking off with an undisclosed sum of cash and other items.
The robbery took place sometime around 12:10hrs on Saturday at a grocery shop at Lot 26 La Jalousie Public Road, WCD. The owner, businessman Bhupaul Panday, was in the shop with his wife, son and daughter along with two customers when the bandits pounced on them.
It was reported that the perpetrators tied up the six individuals with duct tape as they ransack the premises in search of valuables.
INews understands that the men stormed the shop, all armed with handguns, and kicked down the door to gain entry behind the counter. The men immediately began ripping out the electronics in the house including the computers, the DVR attached to the surveillance camera and the phone lines.
“They just walked in and kick down the door… and start ripping off all the electronics in the house and beat up the people them,” a relative of the victims told the media.
They then began to terrorise the family, asking for money and other valuables, the relative noted. The bandits then duct-taped the four Panday family members and the two customers as they searched the house for whatever valuables they could get their hands on. However, they kept on hitting the owners, demanding more money and jewellery.
“They took a bunch of things with them, personal items and so on but they keep hitting the people them, as if what they were taking weren’t enough. They wanted more,” the relative noted.
After realising that time was running out, the four bandits made good their escape.
The criminals reportedly escaped with phone cards, laptops, cash and jewellery.
Police sources also confirmed that the perpetrators managed to get hold of the businessman’s handgun and shot-gun, which they also took with them.
According to the relative, after fleeing from the shop, the bandits jumped into two awaiting cars: “These two cars were seen pulling off from in front of the shop and heading towards Vreed-en-Hoop side,” the relative disclosed.
The Police were alerted and immediately launched an investigation. Police ranks in D Division (West Demerara) have since confirmed that two persons have been arrested and are in custody assisting with investigations.
Meanwhile, the victims had to be taken for medical attention as a result of the beating they suffered.