-escape with cash and jewels
A normal workday for a building contractor turned to a harrowing near death experience yesterday when two armed men invaded his work site, tied him up and made off with $100, 000 in cash as well as jewellery.
The bandits, who brazenly walked through the open front door of the Lot 575 Section A, Block Y, Grove Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara property at around 1 pm, also left with a radio which was playing at the time, an electric drill, a circular saw, a cellular phone and keys. The devastated owner of the property had just moved in two weeks ago. The house is surrounded by empty lots and the closest neighbour is four lots away. A house is under construction next door but at the time of the robbery no one was there.
The contractor, who refused to be named, was still visibly shaken when Stabroek News visited the house yesterday. The owner had not yet entered her home.
The contractor recounted that he had just finished eating his lunch and was at the kitchen sink with his back turned on the open front door. He was washing his dish when he got the feeling that someone was standing behind him. When he turned around, he found himself standing face to face with a masked gunman and he was immediately instructed to get on the floor. Another man, who was standing in the open doorway, rushed up and placed a spade to his neck, also commanding him to stay down.
The terrified man recalled that the men took off the long pants he was wearing at the time and wrapped it around his head. They then used clear tape they had found in a nearby drawer to hold it in place. They also bound his hands behind his back. “I turn and I tell them man that I can’t breathe and then they open it lil…. They put me in de bathroom and lock the door,” the man added. Before being placed in the bathroom he was able to free one of his hands. “I deh begging hard fuh me life. I tell them man me aint see yall face, please don’t do me anything,” the contactor said, adding that during the 10-minute ordeal the men kept asking for gold and diamonds.
He was so afraid he directed them to his pants pocket, where he had $70, 000 in cash. “They keep asking me where me wife, but I keep telling them that this is nah me house. This is me client house but like they didn’t believe me cause they keep asking for gold and diamond and laptop and DVD,” he added. The men later grabbed his gold chain as well.
After being locked in the bathroom for several minutes and hearing no movement, he decided to free himself and subsequently ran to a house four lots away. He recounted the ordeal to an occupant there and later telephoned his wife who contacted the owner of the property.
While at the house, Stabroek News was told that a police had visited but left shortly after, saying that the crime scene ranks from Georgetown were on their way. When this newspaper left, more than three hours after the incident, no one had arrived to investigate.
Meanwhile, the homeowner said she was terrified to live in the area, especially after she realized that she did not have any immediate neighbours. However, she said that she had no choice but to build her home and move. “When I came two weeks ago, I was afraid yes but I didn’t have a choice. When I am home, I would be lock up in here. I have grills on the doors and windows and the front door got bolts,” the woman explained. She also disclosed that during the construction, building material was stolen. She said too that she was forced to put grills over her windows because thieves removed the louver panes.
