Police were up to press time last evening still working to ascertain the identities of the gunmen who invaded the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) headquarters early Thursday morning and escaped with a quantity of fuel marker.
Sources told this newspaper yesterday that while the armed robbery were captured on several surveillance cameras set up in the compound, the images were blurred. Additionally, the gunmen were masked.
Crime Chief Seelall Persaud when contacted yesterday morning said that police did see people on the footage but said that he was uncertain if anyone was recognized.
The GEA, in a statement on the incident, said that at approximately 03:44 hours, four masked persons entered the Quamina Street, compound and subdued the guards with handguns. They then cut the locks on one of four 20 feet containers in the compound and later left with “two cans of the domestic marker concentrate used to mark fuel.”
According to the release, on storming the compound, the perpetrators tied up the guard who was stationed at the back of the building. The group of gunmen then moved “stealthily along the southern and western wall to the containers.”
Two of the perpetrators then walked across the yard and subdued the guard who was at the time in the guard hut at the front of the building whilst the other two gained entry into the container. The release further added that two five gallon aluminium cans containing a green coloured marker concentrate were removed.
“After being released, the guard alerted the police who responded promptly. The surveillance footage is currently being scrutinized and investigations have commenced”, the release said.
The GEA issued a warning to all fuel dealers, vendors and the general public, to desist from purchasing illegal fuel. Persons are also being reminded that indulging in activities involving im-properly marked fuel will result in a fine of $3 million and imprisonment of three years.
“Anyone found in possession of marker or fuel marked with the stolen marker will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law”, the release said.
Persons are asked to report any suspicious activities in relation to illegal fuel to the GEA secretariat on 226-0394.
