Three masked gunmen attacked and robbed a Bush Lot, Corentyne rice vendor of $2.6M in cash and jewellery at around 3:30 am yesterday after he got up to check his canter truck.
Latchman `Anil’ Pooran, 35, told Stabroek News that the truck was parked in his brother-in-law’s yard and he had gone to check to ensure that the battery was still in place when the men pounced on him.
Pooran who lives in the third house in his brother-in-law’s yard, said as he turned to go back home one of the bandits placed a gun to his back and told him to keep walking. They then disconnected a switch from the electricity meter on his house, throwing the place into darkness.
Aided by lights from their cellular phones, the men took Pooran upstairs and demanded that he hand over the money and jewellery. The vendor said two of the men carried guns and he was afraid that they would kill him if he did not comply.
He then handed over a backpack containing $2M cash that he and his wife Ormilla had “packed” the night before to take to the bank today.
“Me get so scared and me study if them gon hurt me family. Me beg them nah fuh do we nothing and me tell them me gon give them whatever them want.”
The bandits compelled him to give them the jewellery and he did so but only what belonged to him and his two sons; aged six and eight who were fast asleep.
As all this was taking place, his wife sat on the bed trembling and she passed over her jewellery for her husband to give to the bandits.
Still pointing a gun to his back, the bandits took Pooran back to the front of the yard, pushed him in a corner and escaped down the road towards NA.
After they left he started to “holler” for neighbours. He also contacted the Whim Station and police responded promptly and conducted investigations. No arrest has since been made.
Pooran told this newspaper that he started parking the truck in his brother-in-law’s yard about two weeks ago. He said he happened to wake up at that time and decided to check the truck because his brother-in-law was not at home.
He related that the neighhbours later told him that at around 11:30 pm a white car had stopped in front of his brother-in-law’s yard and the occupants were looking in.
