Two masked gunmen invaded a Clonbrook, East Coast Demerara home yesterday, and terrorised the occupants before escaping with cash and other valuables.
A suspect was later arrested by police, who were heavily criticised for their response to the early morning attack. Following the incident, police conducted a raid at the Clonbrook/Ann’s Grove market and two van loads of young men who were loitering were arrested. It is unclear if it was during this operation that the suspect was netted or if those arrested were released.
The gunmen broke into the upper flat of the Lot 40 Section C property by smashing a glass sliding door, before wasting little time in locating businessman Ricky Kumar, from whom they demanded valuables. Hours after the attack, the shattered glass was scattered around the living room area and a muddy boot print was still evident on Kumar’s bedroom door, which one of the bandits had kicked down. During their hunt for money and jewellery, the bandits also ripped open a wardrobe and tumbled out all its contents.
Speaking to Stabroek News, Kumar’s brother-in-law Aseef Balmacoon recounted that around 3:15 am he was awoken after hearing the commotion in a nearby bedroom. It turned out to be bandits, who stormed Kumar’s bedroom. He was adamant that Kumar, who operates the Dovie’s Grocery Store, was the intended target as the men who used their hats and pieces of cloth to conceal their faces, made no attempt to enter his room. There is a door connecting the two bedrooms.
The man said that after realising that bandits were in the house he concealed his valuables but was unable to fit under his bed to hide. He told this newspaper that after the demands were made, Kumar told the men that he didn’t have any money and that it was left in the shop.
After the glass was shattered, Balmacoon said his mother, who lives in the lower flat, rushed upstairs to lock a door to keep the men out but was unsuccessful. She was led into the living room at gunpoint.
Balmacoon later gave himself up after one of the men came to his bedroom door. Shortly after, one of the gunmen took Kumar to the shop to get the money while the other watched Balmacoon, his mother, Kumar’s wife and their two small children. The phone was subsequently plugged out.
When the second gunman returned with Kumar about five minutes later, Balmacoon said that he was slapped about the face and his brother-in-law was repeatedly kicked about the body. This gunman, he recounted, then went back into Kumar’s bedroom and broke in the wardrobe, demanding more jewellery and money. The men, who spent between twenty minutes to half an hour in the house, only fled after they heard the neighbour’s phone ringing.
Balmacoon said the men escaped with about $200,000 from a mini grocery store that was operated in the bottom flat, Kumar’s wedding band, a cellular phone, a camera and a DVD player.
Balmacoon’s father, who occupies a bedroom in the upper flat of the house, said after he heard the glass breaking he came outside and in the dim light he saw a man with a big gun. The man said that he retreated into his bedroom and was contemplating using his wardrobe to block the doorway. He, however, decided against it when he thought of all the noise it would make. The terrified man said that he remained hidden until the men had left.
No help
Stabroek News was told that at least one neighbour saw when the men were breaking into the house but no one came to the family’s aid. According to Balmacoon, the neighbours were calling each other and were afraid to provide assistance because of the weapons. The men ran through the back yard and scaled a fence to escape. They ended up at a dead end and when they ran the other way, they saw some residents a corner away and discharged two shots before running off.
Balmacoon was frustrated by the treatment he endured at the hands of the police when he called them for help. He said that around 4 am he called the Clonbrook police outpost several times but the number was busy. He then called 911 three times but it rang out on each occasion; 092 was his next try and he was successful in getting a number for the Cove & John Police Station. However, he was shocked when the rank who answered the phone said that no patrol was available. He then called the Mahaica Police Station and the information was taken. Neighbours, who had made contact with the Cove and John Police Station prior to Balmacoon, were told to call Timehri for assistance. Balmacoon said that ranks from Vigilance came about 30 minutes after the bandits fled, only because a policeman living in the neighbouring community of Ann’s Grove contacted them.
Efforts to reach the acting Commander Leroy Brummell for a comment yesterday were unsuccessful. In a statement, police confirmed the arrest of the suspect and said an investigation was underway. “This is shocking. Police need to have a greater improvement in fighting crime. How they gon tell we call Timehri? Look how far that deh… The police’s approach was very sloppy,” the infuriated man declared.
He described the police’s attitude to their job as unprofessional. The man said that when the rank answered the phone, his sleepiness was evident.
He noted that in other countries when people dial the emergency number the person at the other end guides you until help arrives. “The government has invested billions of dollars into the security system and yet we are not seeing any results. But I thank God for our lives,” he said.
Commenting on the crime situation in the community, Balmacoon said that there are many petty crimes which he blamed on the use of drugs and unemployment among young people.
Stabroek News has since learnt that the young men who were implicated in a robbery at a Digicel outlet at Mon Repos several weeks ago are from this area.
