Three men are in custody as police continue their investigations into the robbery of a 59-year-old man and his family by gun-toting bandits, who also fired shots, at Vive-la-Force, West Bank Demerara on Friday night.
The four bandits, who were all armed with handguns, struck around 7.30 pm and one of them robbed Cecil Ragnauth, his wife and daughter of a quantity of jewellery valued at $100,000 and $12,000. The three other men had, in the meantime, gone to the home of Pastor Oudhia Persaud Sookdeo and attempted to break into the house but were unsuccessful.
In a press release, the police said that investigations revealed that Ragnauth’s wife, Rajdai Girdhar was in the kitchen below their house when she saw four men approaching from the rear of the premises, which is towards the riverside. The release stated that as the men passed, one of them stopped and held Girdhar at gunpoint and took her into the house where Ragnauth and their daughter were also held up. The man then took away the jewellery and cash and escaped.
Meanwhile, the police said, the other three men had gone to Sookdeo’s home close by and attempted to gain entry through a window, but abandoned the attempt after the occupants raised an alarm. The men discharged a number of rounds as they escaped in the direction of the riverside and police later arrested the three men, who are in custody assisting with investigations.
Meantime, in Berbice shortly after midday on Friday, police ranks went to a yard at Levi Street, Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam where they found approximately 2,000 cannabis sativa (marijuana) plants under cultivation. The plants, which measured between six inches and four feet were uprooted and destroyed.
At the time, no one was on the premises, which is fenced with zinc sheets, the police said.
Additionally, the lawmen are investigating an incident in which two cars were found apparently abandoned at North Ruimveldt. The force said that around 7.30 pm on Friday, ranks of a mobile police patrol went to Mekdeci Housing Scheme, North Ruimveldt, where they found two motor cars abandoned.
“The vehicles, a silver-grey AT 192 Carina with number plate PHH1289 and PGG 2187 engraved on the windscreen and a blue AT 212 Carina with number plate HB 2529, were found to be intact except for the stereo systems,” the release stated.
Investigations are continuing.
