Bandits caught in the act during one of three armed robberies in Eccles ‘Young Professionals’ housing scheme

• Registrar of Deeds, Attorney-at-Law among victims

By Ramona Luthi

During the course of yesterday alone, three separate homes from the ‘Young Professionals Housing Scheme’ at Eccles, East Bank Demerara were invaded and robbed by armed bandits.

However, with quick response from the Police, two of the bandits were caught red handed and apprehended.

In the first instance, reports indicate that at approximately 10:00hrs on Wednesday, at the home of Attorney-at Law, Paula Nicolson, suspicious activity was noted to be occurring behind the house by the woman’s daughter who was home alone at the time. Acting on her suspicion, Nicolson’s daughter secured herself in a room and proceeded to dial 911 for assistance.

The police arrived promptly, and were able to detain the two men who were attempting to flee.

Further inspection of the premises disclosed that the men were able to enter the house through the back windows.

No one was injured, and it is alleged that the men were not aware that Nicolson’s daughter was in the house at the time of the incident.

In the case of the second robbery, at around 13:00hrs on Wednesday, with a security guard and contractor tied up in the yard, the  Registrar of Deeds was held at gun-point by two gunmen.

According to the woman, Azeena Baksh, she responded to the calls of her security guard for a glass of water, and upon doing so, she realized that it was a hoax as he was tied up along with a contractor who was working in the yard.

Pointing a gun to her face, the gunmen took her into a room and demanded that she turn over all cash and jewelry to them. However, when she attempted to explain that she had no jewelry or substantial cash in the home since she was robbed sometime last year as well, they became aggravated.

Baksh told INews that it was the sound of a vehicle in her driveway that scared the perpetrators off, leaving her and the workers, unharmed.

Later, she discovered that it was her sister and brother-in-law who had arrived and based on suspicion, phoned the Police, who responded promptly. However, the slick gunmen had already escaped.

Additionally, details surrounding the third robbery in the area yesterday remains sketchy. However, INews was made to understand that the family were not at home at the time, and it was upon returning that they found their home ransacked and realised that they had been robbed.

Within the space of two months, over five cases of robbery have been reported to have occurred in this area, inhabited by mostly young professionals.