Batter, rob family of $6M
Heavily-armed gunmen last evening stormed a grocery at Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo firing shots and robbing a family of $6M in cash and jewellery before escaping.
One man was grazed on the shoulder by a bullet while the owner of the business, Chaitram called ‘Barry’ was severely gun-butted by the bandits. The attack occurred at around 6:30 pm at Chaitram’s 84 Old Road, Tuschen home. Police sources told Stabroek News that the five bandits, who were all armed, at least two with “big guns” and the rest with smaller ones, did not wear masks.
Chaitram’s son, Baldeo, related to this newspaper that shortly before the attack, a white car drove past the building, which also houses the grocery store. At that time his brother, Anil, was reversing their Canter truck into the yard and had come out of the vehicle to close the gate. At this point, the white car turned around and four men, all armed, rushed up to the gate.
Baldeo said that among the bandits was an elderly man, who he estimated to be 60 years old.
He related that the men pointed their guns at Anil but he fought back and during the scuffle a shot was fired. However, the bandits gained entry to the premises, where they found Chaitram and while making demands for money, hit him about the body. Following the incident, he was taken to the Leonora Hospital where he received several stitches.
His father was in serious pain, Baldeo said. The bandits ransacked the home and took money and jewellery. “They took everything”, Baldeo asserted.
During the family’s ordeal, Anil’s wife, who is eight months pregnant and their two daughters, aged four and eight years were also at home. The bandits pushed the heavily pregnant woman onto the floor.
Meanwhile, after the first shot was fired, persons in the area were alerted and began shouting. The bandits realizing that they had little time, grabbed their loot and rushed out and in doing so, fired another shot.
Chaitram’s brother, who lived close-by, was grazed in the shoulder by the bullet. The bandits escaped in the waiting car.
The police were called and responded but the bandits had already escaped.
Baldeo related that this is the second time in three years that the family has been robbed. He recalled that on April 8, 2005 bandits had also attacked the home and taken “everything”.
Police are investigating.