After robbing a businesswoman of over $200,000 at gun-point yesterday, a bandit was struck by a car while making his escape, resulting in him dropping both the money and the weapon he had used to carry out the attack.
Although the man was hit, he managed to evade capture by public-spirited citizens by jumping into a waiting car.
Businesswoman Bibi Zorifa Bacchus, 36, of Nooten Zuil, East Coast Demerara believes that someone alerted the gunman to the fact that she had just left a business place where she sold a quantity of raw gold and received the cash she had in her possession at the time of the attack.
According to a police statement on the robbery, the attack occurred around 1:40PM along the Melanie Damishana Public Road, East Coast Demerara.
Bacchus, who was seated in a fuel truck that had sustained a puncture, was confronted by the lone gunman, who relieved her of the cash and her cellphone before he moved to escape on a bicycle.
According to the statement, in his haste to escape the suspect was struck down by a car and the stolen money and the firearm fell on the roadway. He, however, abandoned them as public-spirited persons had responded, and he joined the waiting car that is believed to have been driven by an accomplice and escaped, the release further stated.
The stolen money and the firearm, a .32 revolver with four rounds, and the bicycle were all recovered and handed over to the police by residents.
Bacchus was waiting in the fuel truck, which she operates in the interior, after the puncture forced the driver and porter to leave to get the tyre fixed.
The still traumatised Bacchus told Stabroek News that the gunman approached on his bicycle while she was seated in the passenger seat and said, “Good day god sister.”
“He just appear from nowhere and told me that and before I could have responded he pull up his shirt and take out a gun and point it to my waist and say give me all the money you got or I will shoot you,” she recounted.
As fearful as she was, the woman said that she insisted that she had no money but the man came off of his bicycle and started to empty the bags she had in her possession, which included her handbag along with those belonging to the driver and porter.
After he realised the money was in Bacchus’ handbag, the man grabbed it and tried to escape on foot.
Bacchus said before the man could have managed to get out of sight, the driver and porter arrived. Upon learning what had transpired, the porter gave chase while the man ran, continuously looking backwards as he did so. As a result, an approaching vehicle hit the gunman, causing him to fall to the roadway and to drop the firearm along with the stolen money.
The clueless driver of the car that hit the man was about to attempt to render assistance but before he could have done anything the man made his way into another vehicle.
For Bacchus, it was a first-time experience.
Although traumatised by her ordeal, she was thankful that she managed to escape unhurt. She also remained hopeful that the gunman will be captured soon. (Sharda Bacchus)
