Gunfire erupted during last Thursday’s deadly robbery at Plaisance, East Coast Demerara after some of the victims struggled with the armed perpetrators whom they knew, Crime Chief Seelall Persaud said yesterday.
“.. there was a scuffle during which the robbers discharged rounds,” Persaud said when asked why the bandits would shoot. Persaud also informed Stabroek News that there is information that the dead bandit Anthony Taylor was linked to wanted man and leader of an armed gang, Tyrone ‘Cobra’ Rowe. He added that the wanted man might have been one of the robbers who struck at Datt’s Drug Store, where the shooting occurred. A senior police officer has told this newspaper that Taylor was a key figure in the ‘Cobra’ gang.
According to Persaud, up to Sunday four persons were in custody assisting with the investigation of the robbery. Up to press time last evening, it was unclear if the quartet was still being detained.
Taylor’s family has strongly denied his link to the ‘Cobra’ gang, saying that the dead robber was released from jail in May after a charge against him was dismissed. He had been in jail for two years. His mother, Michelle Craig, said there was no way he could be linked to the group, since he was in jail when it emerged. Police had visited the home several times in search of the wanted man, the last time being just over a month ago. Relatives could not explain Taylor’s presence in Plaisance.
When Stabroek News yesterday contacted the drugstore’s owner, Chandrika Datt, who was present during the robbery, he said that he had no comment to make. His store is still closed.
The robbery occurred around 9:45 pm last Thursday at Plaisance Line Top and police said one of the perpetrators–-Taylor called ‘Bow Wow’—was shot and killed. Overseas-based Guyanese Noel Phillips, 48, who was residing at Howes Street, Charlestown; Troy Collymore called `Nellie’, 35, of Plaisance Squatting Area and Datt called ‘Shiv’, 27, of Industry, were chatting in front of the drugstore shortly before the gunmen held them up. Datt was relieved of a quantity of jewellery along with eight laptop computers, while his accomplices took away jewellery and an undisclosed sum of cash from Phillips.
During the robbery, rounds were discharged which resulted in Taylor being shot and killed, police said, while Phillips was shot to his right arm and chest and Collymore was shot to his head. Clyde Harris, also of Plaisance, who was in the vicinity, was shot to the left jaw. The two other perpetrators escaped.
Phillips was admitted to a private hospital where he underwent surgery while Collymore and Harris were admitted to the Georgetown Hospital.
Collymore succumbed to his injuries on Saturday.
