Police early yesterday morning arrested five men and a woman after they were found with an unlicensed M16 rifle, which was believed to have been used in a robbery on the Essequibo Coast, cash and other items.
The six persons were intercepted at a roadblock at Suddie on the Essequibo Coast around 5.30 am yesterday.
Investigators believe that the persons in custody may have been part of a gang that carried out an armed robbery around 6:30 pm on Wednesday.
According to reports around 6:30 pm on Wednesday four men attacked a grocery store owned by Ganesh Persaud of Richmond Housing Scheme. Sources say at the time of the incident there were four patrons in the store. According to reports the store owner’s son and daughter were attending to the patrons when two of the men walked in and drew their weapons ordering everyone to lie face down on the floor. The two men were then joined by three others who jumped over the counter and demanded cash. A total of $280,000 in cash was taken from the store along with four cellular phones. One patron was also relieved of $170,000 in Guyana currency, US$300 and her cell phone, while another patron was relieved of jewellery valued over $500,000.
After their demands were met the men then ordered one of the patrons to hand over her vehicle keys. After the men took away the keys they boarded the vehicle and made good their escape. The vehicle was found abandoned at Henrietta, one village away from the robbery scene. A report was made to the police.
Meanwhile just around 5.30 am yesterday police at a roadblock at Suddie intercepted two cars which were travelling together. Both vehicles were stopped and the occupants searched. According to a source, a large amount of cash, at least four cell phones, knives, the M16 rifle and 41 matching rounds were found. A police statement said that $287,520, US$53, Bds$90 and TT$5 were also recovered. The five men and one woman were arrested and are currently in police custody.
Investigators say they have since received information that the persons in custody were staying at a hotel on the Essequibo Coast and the cars they were intercepted in were taxis they had called to the hotel to make a pick up. Meantime police say they are working on all possible leads to capture others who may have been involved in the robbery at Richmond. (Jenelle Carter)
