Bandits on Thursday morning robbed two Corentyne, Berbice businesses. Moments after one of the robberies, a pregnant woman went into labour and delivered her baby due to the shock of the incident.
At about 00:15h, five armed and masked men broke into Comfort Inn situated at Lot 9 John’s Port Mourant. The men entered the building by breaking a window in one of the hotel’s vacant rooms.
From there, the men made their way to the lower flat where proprietor Bibi Salina Ally and her daughter Fanesha Hassan along with an infant were asleep.
According to Ally, she heard footsteps in the upper flat of the building and soon after she noticed a torchlight. Her pregnant daughter who was in the bed with her contacted the Whim Police Station but before she could tell them their location, the phone was taken away from her by one of the bandits.
“After that they come and say shut your mouth, and say that they want everything; gold and money or else they gon chop off we neck. They get cutlass and they get crowbar; all of them,” Ally related.
However, Hassan begged the bandits not to kill them. Ally recalled trying to be as nice as possible to the intruders who were demanding valuables.
“I show them where everything was and they take it and say they want more. They strip us of the gold we had on and then say they want the key for the shop and I go and open the shop and one of them go in and start emptying the shop.”
It was later found out that before the men entered the building, the 78-year-old security guard, Alexander Sears, was beaten and gagged.
According to Sears, he had moved from his post to use the washroom when he was confronted by three masked men; two with cutlasses and one with a crowbar.
“I had a scuffle with them and then one of them lashed me with the crowbar and another lash me in me face with the cutlass and I fall down and couldn’t do anything.”
Two of the men stayed with the security guard while one joined his other two accomplices as they entered the building.
Ally noted that one of the bandits attempted to lash her in the head with a crowbar but she blocked it. In addition, Hassan said she was traumatised as one of the bandits stood over her with a cutlass.
She noted that she was unable to recognise any of the intruders. She was later rushed to the New Amsterdam Hospital where she delivered her baby.
The bandits took away US$180, $50,000 local currency and about $200,000 worth in jewellery.
Meanwhile, a few buildings away in the village of Clifton, bandits broke into Gabar’s Halall Chicken Outlet. According to Doodnauth Takpersaud, at about 01:15h, he was attacked.
The bandits reportedly cut a hole in the fence to the chicken pen to gain entry. Money, livestock and beverages were removed.
According to Takpersaud, he was at his home when he heard strange sounds emanating from the chicken pen which is a part of the poultry business. As he looked towards the business, the lights were turned off.
“I couldn’t see anything but I was sure that someone was in there because the way the fouls hollering. So I waited for a while; about 15 minutes and then I put on a bright light I have in front here. With the light on I could see clearly at the shop. Then I go and make a check,” he explained.
According to the businessman, as he was approaching, he saw a Police patrol vehicle which stopped in front of his business place and enquired what was going on.
Together with the Police, they searched the area but did not see anyone. Nevertheless, Takpersaud is aware of who the perpetrators are. He claims they are the same persons who have been monitoring him for the past few days.
When contacted, Deputy Commander Superintendent Wayne DeHart said the Police are investigating both incidents.
