Armed bandits today stormed a supermarket at South Ruimveldt and one was caught following an exchange of gunfire with police.
The suspected bandit was identified as Adrian Bailey, 37, of King Edward Street, Albouystown. His four accomplices managed to escape. A police source told Stabroek News that the entire incident was caught on CCTV footage which was being reviewed up to press time with the hope of apprehending the other suspects.
Stabroek News was informed that at around 10:45am today, five armed bandits stormed the Guyana Soft Touch supermarket at Lot 1045 Aubrey Barker Road, South Ruimveldt. The business is reportedly operated by Chinese nationals.
Staff members and customers were held at gunpoint while the bandits grabbed cash and other valuables. The police were alerted and responded. There was an exchange of gunfire during which one of the suspects was apprehended in a nearby trench. The others managed to escape on foot.
No one at the supermarket was injured but the bandits managed to escape with over $300,000 in cash, four cellular phones, a gold chain and a quantity of phone cards. At the time of the robbery, six staff members and two customers were present.
According to reports reaching this newspaper, two bandits first attacked two men in the supermarket and demanded their valuables while the others ordered the remaining staff and customers to lie on the floor. The bandits relieved them of valuables before fleeing.
When Stabroek News visited the scene this afternoon, the supermarket was tightly secured and closed for business. Efforts to speak to the owners were futile.
