The Police responding to a report of larceny of sheep at a farm house at Lochaber Village, West Canje, Berbice, engaged with an unidentified male, suspected to be a bandit, who drew a loaded firearm at police ranks and was in turn fatally shot by one of the ranks with a service revolver in an exchange of fire.
Based on the reports provided by the Police, a cattle and livestock farmer from Betsy Ground, East Canje, Berbice, reported that a flock of 29 sheep was stolen from his ranch at Calabash Creek, East Canje on November 12, 2016.
The cattle and livestock farmer apparently received information on where his stolen sheep were being held and this morning around 06:20 hrs, he along with three police ranks, one armed with a service weapon, went to a location at Lochaber Village, West Canje, where the victim positively identified twelve of his sheep tied at the back of a farm house.
According to the Police in a statement, the ranks then proceeded towards the entrance of the farm house and were immediately confronted by a male, “who rushed into the house, armed himself with a handgun and attempted to shoot the armed policeman who followed closely behind him and during this engagement the rank discharged his firearm several times at the suspect who fell.”
He was rushed to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital where he was pronounced DOA (Dead On Arrival). The body is presently at Arokium Funeral Home waiting to be identified before a post mortem is done.
Back at the house, it was disclosed that, an unlicensed silver coloured Taurus pistol and six live matching rounds were retrieved. The house was then searched and the following articles were found; “One plum phone, two silver finger rings, one silver chain, one Compact Laptop Computer, and several electronic gadgets.”
The first four items, according to the Police, were positively identified by one Ravendra Bipram, 27, of Anchorville, Port Mourant, Berbice, as his properties. He was allegedly robbed at gunpoint about 19:30 hrs on November 11, 2016, at Smythfield Access Road, New Amsterdam, Berbice, by a male fitting the description of the deceased.
The person who also robbed Bipram brandished and discharged a round in his direction, from a silver handgun, presumably similar to the Taurus pistol retrieved by the officers in the farm house.
According to the police, the farm house is reportedly owned by a known convict who lives at Mount Sinai, New Amsterdam, Berbice.
As a result, a team of police went to the alleged owner of the Mount Sinai’s home and arrested a 28 year old male from Sand Hills, Berbice River, after he had in his possession an unlicensed Taurus pistol with ten (10) live matching rounds. “The house was searched and the following articles were found: one laptop computer, seven cellular phones, a pair of binoculars. Two motor cycles, a motor car and a lighting plant [and] were also taken into custody.”
The owner was not at home. Investigations are continuing.
