Ranks investigating Saturday’s robbery at Chennick and Sons Supermarket and Western Union outlet in East Canje are working on the theory that the six suspects escaped via the Canje River.
On Saturday night, six masked and armed bandits stormed the business located at Betsy Ground, East Canje, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and robbed owner as well as customers before escaping in the businessman’s car.
The vehicle was found shortly afterwards abandoned at New Forest – about four miles away from the supermarket.
A source close to the investigation told Inews that there is evidence to suggest that the men made it to the river shortly before the police found the abandoned car.
However, there are no reports of a boat going up the Canje River after the robbery but there were reports indicating that a boat had travelled down from further up the river and moored in the vicinity of New Forest.
Some after 19:30h on Saturday, the six heavily armed men – one with a handgun and four with assault rifles, were seen stepping out of a car which pulled up in front of the supermarket. They rushed into the supermarkets and ordered customers and staff to lie down.
The owner Doodnauth Moses, a licenced firearm holder, was gun-butted and shot.
The robbers took away Moses’ firearm and when straight to a part of the building, which had a money canister and removed it. They also demanded the keys to the canister and emptied the cash from sales drawer.
Moses was also robbed of two finger rings and two gold chains.
He had to seek medical attention at the New Amsterdam Hospital but was treated and sent away. His teenage nephew was also injured during the robbery and also sought medical attention.
Some of the customers reported that they were robbed during the ordeal which lasted about six minutes.
After the robbery, the bandits the men demanded the keys to the owner’s car, PSS 111, and escaped in it.
The car was moments later found abundant at Peculation, an area with huge vegetation and no houses, and forms one bank of the Canje River. None of the bandits were seen when the police got there shortly after the robbery.
Investigations are continuing.
