Three armed bandits early this morning robbed the Linden Regional Democratic Office of million of dollars in what officials believe is an inside job.
According to reports reaching this newspaper at around 2:40 am today the bandits approached the security guard on the Republic Avenue side of the building and after ordering him to lie on the floor of the guard hut they removed the keys for the sub-treasury department. Stabroek News was informed that usually the keys would be lodged at the police station but for some strange reason the keys remained with the guard. Further information also revealed that while there were several bunches of keys in the security guard’s possession the bandits specifically removed the keys for the treasury department.
The treasury department is at the bottom of the two-flat building and an official told Stabroek News that before reaching the vault with the money the bandits had to pass two other vaults-both of which were untouched. The official also indicated that while what appeared to be a blow touch was used to open the vault with the cash the vault was not cut right through-suggesting that the bandits knew part of the combination to open the unit. Once in the vault the bandits removed $5M and $3M in cheques before escaping on foot.
As the bandits were inside emptying the vault one of them remained with the security guard in the hut keeping him at bay. The guard reported to the police that earlier in the evening he observed two male employees of the office in the vicinity of the building along with their girlfriends but they did not remain for any particular time before leaving.
The police are investigating.
