-taxis implicated
Three men are in police custody following an armed robbery at a home at Triumph, East Coast Demerara around 7:30 on Monday evening, in which a family of five was attacked and relieved of cash and jewellery.
According to the police, 56-year old Zabeeda Jaikarran and a neighbour, Uranie Havercombe were in the former’s yard chatting when they were attacked and robbed by four men armed with hand guns. The intruders took away Havercombe’s jewellery, valued at $50,000, and a quantity of jewellery valued at $750,000 and an undisclosed sum of foreign currency as well as two mobile phones belonging to the Jaikarrans.
Zabeeda Jaikarran’s son Jairam told Stabroek News during a visit to the home yesterday that he was upstairs at the two-flat home speaking with his wife when he heard, a little “whisper” coming from downstairs. He said that as he got out of his room to see what was happening, he heard someone whispering to his older brother as his sibling was approaching the stairs leading to the upper flat of their home.
Jairam stated that he soon came face to face with an armed man escorting his brother up the steps and he was accompanied by another armed man, both of whom he described as, ”neatly dressed”. He said the man told him, his brother and his wife to lie on the floor as they ransacked the house.
He said that the men took away jewellery, a mobile phone and a digital camera from his room, jewellery and a sum of foreign currency from his mother’s room before joining three other accomplices who were downstairs at the time. The traumatized man stated that his mother and the neighbour who was with her prior to the robbery was assaulted and relieved of jewellery they wore at the time as well as some $5000 which he stated, his mother had on a confectionary stand she operated.
Jairam noted that soon after the 15-minute ordeal, someone was able to inform a policeman nearby and several minutes later, the police acting on information arrested two persons and intercepted two cars belonging to a popular taxi service in the city which was suspected of playing a part in the attack. Jairam was of the opinion that the attack was carried out by persons familiar with the family, stating that the intruders waited until his step-father, who is a police sergeant, went to work before carrying out the attack.
Neighours recalled hearing a commotion at the home of the Jaikarrans but according to them, the bandits all carried guns and as such they were afraid to intervene.
CID officers were at the home of the Jaikarran’s yesterday conducting further investigations into the incident.