Armed bandits snatched millions of dollars in cash and raw gold from a businesswoman in a brazen mid-afternoon robbery yesterday, during which a round was discharged.
Up to press time last evening police were still looking for the two men who escaped on a motorcycle. The robbery was committed a stone’s throw away from the Prashad Nagar Police Out-post.
According to the police, they are investigating an armed robbery which occurred at Bombay Terrace, Prashad Nagar during which Rosemary Evans was attacked and robbed by two men, one of whom was armed with a gun.
Investigations revealed that Evans, who Stabroek News was told is known as `Pinky’ and is a miner, was about to enter her premises when she was confronted by the armed man who was on a motorcycle ridden by an accomplice.
The armed man discharged a round into the air and took away a bag which the woman dropped while seeking cover.
Police said that the two perpetrators escaped with the bag which reportedly contained $3 million cash and a quantity of raw gold. This newspaper was told that a total of $5 million was snatched from Evans.
The police recovered a spent shell at the scene.
When Stabroek News arrived at the home, the visibly traumatized woman was standing in the yard talking with neighbours and relatives.
She said that she was not in a good frame of mind to speak about the incident but could do so after she had given a statement to the police.
Before leaving for the nearby police outpost, the woman told Stabroek News that she was alone at the time of the incident and confirmed that valuables were taken from her. Efforts to contact Evans subsequently were futile.
A resident said that he was alerted to the incident by the sound of a gunshot. Shortly after the two bandits, sped out of Cul-de-sac Street on a motor cycle. From all indications the bandits were unmasked and were watching the woman’s movements.
Police investigations are continuing.