Gunmen yesterday pounced on a GEB security van, grabbing a $17M GuySuCo payroll on the West Bank Demerara highway and one of them was later killed in a shoot-out with the police while the rest escaped with the booty.
A huge security operation unfolded immediately after the robbery but other members of the armed gang, said to have numbered around eight or nine, vanished. Two guns were retrieved from the scene of the shoot-out and a getaway boat found.
The dead robber has been identified as Eric Williams of Fyrish, Corentyne. Police have also detained several other persons including the driver of a GuySuCo van as suspicious activities immediately prior to the robbery have come to light.
The clockwork-like heist, which occurred on a narrow bridge linking the West Bank Demerara communities of Stanleytown and Belle Vue, the splitting up of the gang and the presence of the getaway boat have highlighted the meticulous planning that went into the robbery.
Police, in a statement said that the incident occurred at 11:05 am yesterday. Police said that investigations revealed that the driver and three armed members of GEB Security were escorting a locked canister containing the money to the Wales sugar estate when, in the vicinity of the bridge at Stanleytown, their path was blocked by a silver grey car that was across the road. As the vehicle stopped, nine men surrounded their vehicle and held them at gunpoint.
The bandits took away the canister along with two shotguns, a .38 revolver and ammunition from the security guards and escaped using the GEB security vehicle and the car.
Stabroek News was told that shortly after 11 am yesterday, the GEB van, with four security officers, was delivering the weekly payroll to the GuySuCo Wales Office. There is a narrow bridge that connects Stanleytown and Belle Vue and it was there that the attack occurred.
Reports reaching this newspaper are that a van, belonging to GuySuCo had shortly before pulled up in front of the GEB van with its hazard lights flashing and slowed down and stopped close to the bridge. Due to the narrowness of the roadway at that point, the GEB van was forced to stop. Police sources said that a car was in front of the GuySuCo van and the bandits emerged from the car and pounced on the GEB van. Other bandits, apparently hiding behind the bridge also emerged and aided their accomplices in subduing the guards. Police said that four of the gang members were armed with guns.
The security officers were held at gunpoint and one was gun butted while the bandits threatened to shoot them. They were forced to lie on the ground while the canister was retrieved. At least two of the bandits took control of the GEB vehicle while the others escaped in the car. The bandits in the GEB vehicle turned it around and drove north to Nismes, about a mile away, where they entered a side-road that leads to the river and runs alongside the river wall. There they attempted to escape in a boat but it reportedly capsized.
When Stabroek News arrived on the scene at Nismes, some police had already entered the thick bushes surrounding the riverside area. It was stated that they had earlier checked that very area but saw nothing. Army ranks arrived at the same time as this newspaper and proceeded to join them. Minutes later at 1:08 pm, sporadic bursts of gunfire were heard. For over an hour the ranks combed the area. The highway in the vicinity of the operation was closed off and many persons converged at both ends of the road-blocks. Following the gunfire, it was stated that one of the bandits had been shot.
Earlier a road-block was established at the Demerara Harbour Bridge and vehicles heading to the eastern side were searched. At 2:16 pm the army helicopter arrived and flew over the area several times.
The body of Williams was brought out and taken to the West Demerara Regional Hospital. Police dusted the GEB vehicle for fingerprints and one officer carried two guns that were said to have been recovered from the bandit. The getaway boat, which was powered by an engine, was recovered. Police in their statement said that an unlicensed .32 pistol with twelve matching rounds was also recovered.
Around 2:25 pm the body of Williams was taken to the West Demerara Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. It took several policemen to lift the heavily-built man from the back of the police pick-up onto a stretcher. He was wheeled to the emergency room where confusion erupted as persons rushed to get a glimpse of the body. The man bore gunshot wounds to the left side of his head, across his chest and legs. He was minutes later identified by ranks as a wanted man and known in Berbice.
The Joint Services ranks continued their search and at 2:35 pm the road-block was lifted and traffic was allowed to move. Meantime, there was tension when police stopped some cars. The driver of one car, which was heading south and transporting passengers, was taken into custody. Last night police said that a car which was parked on the public road at Nismes and suspected to have been used during the robbery was detained and three men have been arrested as investigations continue. Two of the guards were also in police custody up to last evening.
Up to late yesterday, the police were still searching for the other members of the gang. A similar attack had occurred on October 24 when heavily armed gunmen attacked a Lethem-bound minibus, shooting the driver and robbing the passengers of valuables. The bandits had numbered around eight and were in two cars. Following the robbery, they had escaped.
GEB
A source close to GEB said that the company is contracted by GuySuCo to escort their payrolls and yesterday such an operation was ongoing when the hijacking occurred.
This newspaper was told that during such escorts there is a company vehicle transporting security guards and the cash as well as a GuySuCo vehicle.
Yesterday, four GEB employees were transporting the payroll, when the GuySuCo vehicle speed past theirs with the hazard lights on, the source said pointing out that normally during the escort, the GuySuCo vehicle is in front.
As the vehicle, approached the koker on the Stanleytown public road, West Bank Demerara, the GuySuCo vehicle slowed down and eventually stopped, the source said. The GEB vehicle was also forced to stop and five men armed with shotguns suddenly appeared, this newspaper was told.
According to the source, it is unclear where the men came from but they rushed up to the vehicle and ordered the occupants out at gunpoint.
Once the hijacking had occurred, the source stated, the guards immediately called their base and contact was subsequently made with police ranks at the Wales Police Station and Police Headquarters, Eve Leary.
Those involved in the operation came in for high praise from the source.
Brushes with the law
Police sources told Stabroek News that Williams, who was shot dead at Nismes, has had many brushes with the law over the years. He was convicted of rape and robbery and spent five years in jail. Williams was recently released on bail after being charged with the armed robbery of a cambio dealer at Rose Hall earlier this year.
He is also the subject of pending police investigations.
When Stabroek News visited the man’s Lot 22 Fyrish, Corentyne home his relatives were unaware of this death and as the news spread, pandemonium broke out.
His sister who was the first to learn of the death was inconsolable and contacted other relatives living in the village.
Relatives did not provide this newspaper with much information but from all indications they had warned the unemployed man repeatedly to change his ways but to no avail.
Relatives had told this newspaper that Williams spent most of his time with a brother in Georgetown. (Additional reporting by Zoisa Fraser, Adrian Smith and Melissa Charles)