Three masked bandits robbed a New Amsterdam businesswoman on Thursday using a toy gun, but it was only after one the men dropped the weapon that the discovery was made.
Patricia Bess, 54, of Mai Mai Dam, Angoy’s Avenue was robbed by the men, who were also armed with cutlasses.
Bess operates a grocery shop and had closed up for the night when a customer called for a pack of cigarettes at around 8pm
.
Bess responded and was opening the gate when the men stormed in. They held her up then assaulted her and robbed her of $65,000, which she had in a bucket under a shed. They also assaulted the man who had moments earlier purchased the cigarettes. After not finding much on him they beat him and threw him in a drain, before escaping. One of the men encountered difficulties while fleeing and dropped the toy gun, police said.
A senior police officer in the division said the bandits seem to be the same men who robbed a fish vendor and her family a few days ago. Both groups were armed with a small gun and two cutlasses. They also wore kerchiefs tied over their faces.
