An Essequibo shop owner who was on his way to the city to purchase goods yesterday had to return home empty handed after nearly $3M cash was snatched from him by two armed men.
At the time of the robbery, the businessman, Bhagwandatt Jones known as Frederick was sitting in his truck which was parked in a line, awaiting its turn to cross the Demerara Harbour Bridge. He was on his way to Georgetown.
Up to press time no one had been arrested by police.
Police said in a release that they are investigating an armed robbery that occurred around 7:30 am along the West Demerara Public Road leading to the Demerara Habour Bridge , during which Jones of Anna Regina, Essequibo Coast, was attacked and robbed by two men armed with a handgun and a knife.
Police investigations revealed that Jones was driving his vehicle with two employees in the tray, waiting in a line of vehicles to cross the Bridge, when the two men approached, one on each side of vehicle, and held him up.
They demanded a bag that Jones had in his possession which contained $2.9M but the businessman resisted and was struck on the face with the firearm. Subsequently a round was discharged, hitting the cab of the vehicle.
The man, the release said handed over the cash after which the bandits escaped in a waiting car.
Jones who operates a store in the Anna Regina market in recounting the ordeal told Stabroek News that he and two others were sitting in the truck when two unmasked men walked up with guns and fired a shot in the direction of the vehicle’s cabin before demanding that he hand over a shoulder bag containing money.
He said that at the time of the incident he was in a line that had spilled around a turn on the West Demerara public road, waiting for his turn to cross the bridge.
He was on his way to the city to purchase flour and other goods for his store, he said.
“They walk from the back of the truck and they tell me pass the bag”, Jones said, adding that he did not hesitate to hand over the bag containing the money since the men were armed.
The man said that he would often travel to the city to buy stock for his store but does not have a particular day on which he does this.
After collecting the bag, the men boarded a car that was parked some distance away and shortly after Jones went to the Vreed-en-Hoop Police Station and reported the matter.
This is the third time that the businessman has suffered at the hands of armed bandits. He was previously robbed at home and then at his store.
Police are continuing their investigations.
