Police yesterday saved two men from a severe beating at the hands residents of Cummings Lodge, who caught them after they robbed a household there of over $1 million in cash and jewellery.
Police were forced to discharge three rounds in the air to disperse the crowd of people who were about to beat the men after pulling them from a weed-infested trench clad only in their underwear. The men, said to be either in their late teens or early 20s, apparently removed their clothing and pushed their loot into the thick mud, in order to escape detection. Police said in a press release issued yesterday that the men had stolen $1.9 million, a quantity of jewellery and four cell phones.
Around 3 am yesterday, the men broke into the Lot 278 South East Cummings Lodge Housing Scheme home of businessman Ramdeo Ramdin and his wife Latchmin. The couple and their adult son were in the house at the time the men broke several louvre panes and removed window bars to gain entry into the residence. A grocery store is also located at the property.
Ramdin was awakened during the invasion, Stabroek News was told, and before he could arm himself with a cutlass he found himself held at gunpoint. One of the men gun-butted him and they made demands for valuables. The couple’s son was also gun-butted. Cash was handed over as well as jewellery, including several pieces that Latchmin was wearing at the time.
The men then attempted to flee while an alarm was raised. Ghanie William recalled being aroused by persons shouting for thief, and he added that he went out on to his veranda and saw two men jumping into a bushy trench at the head of his street. The trench separates the area from Industry.
Other residents said that after committing the robbery, the men ran through several yards before ending up in Eighth Street, where they decided to jump into the trench to hide.
The police were contacted and, according to residents, police officers and soldiers arrived promptly. By this time, however, many residents had gathered at the trench contemplating what to do next. Ramdin’s brother-in-law, Dhanswasar Rammanooj, called ‘Lil Boy,’ travelled from his Mahaica home after learning of the robbery and he arrived at the scene around 4 am, and found the crowd at the trench. After being told that the robbers were hiding there, the man said, he decided to venture into the trench in search of them. “Ah tek de risk and me start chopping up and then we start see a lil scramble up,” he recalled.
However, the men were not found until dawn. Stabroek News was told that at one point during the search, bubbles were seen on the water surface and a length of iron was used to “poke” the water. Shortly after that, one of the men surfaced with his hands in the air, according to Mahesh Benjamin, who was part of the search party.
Police said they had recovered a .38 revolver, which the men used to commit the robbery. They said the men who would be charged shortly had given their addresses as Oleander Gardens and Da Silva Street, Newtown, Kitty.
Ramdin and his wife have been operating their grocery business at their home for several years and they have been the target of bandits on several occasions. During the previous attack, Rammanooj said “they nah get nothing much.” However, he added that during yesterday’s ordeal they fled with money which was to be used to pay for goods later that day.
Narine Tiwari, also Ramdin’s brother-in-law, said business persons needed firearms to protect themselves. He said that his brother-in-law had applied for one several years ago but was denied. He added that he too is a businessman and he had made an unsuccessful attempt eight years ago.
Meanwhile, residents said that the community is in dire need of a facelift. They explained that the biggest problem is the state of the trenches, which are clogged with thick bushes and small trees. The trench where the bandits hid is the main drainage canal for the area and according to a resident it hasn’t been cleared for a long time. The resident noted the flooding danger that the situation could pose.
In the light of the robbery, residents yesterday called for regular police patrols in the area, stating that many robberies take place there, especially since it is very dark at night. They also called for street lights and the rehabilitation of a bridge that connects the area to Industry. The main road, which is filled with potholes, also needs to be repaired, they added.