Two employees of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) were robbed in an armed attack yesterday afternoon in front the agency’s Brickdam office.
Police are now reviewing CCTV footage in hopes of identifying the two men who carried out the attack, which occurred at around 12.50pm.
In a statement on the attack, police said that the men escaped with a handbag containing $10,000, an iPad, an electronic dictionary and some documents.
According to the police, the two UNDP employees (a male and a female) had just returned to the UNDP address at 42 Brickdam and United Place Stabroek, in their car.
It said the female employee proceeded into the compound but as the male employee was exiting the car, a dark colored vehicle with the two suspects drove up and they accosted the male employee. He resisted and was pushed to the ground. The robbers grabbed the handbag with the contents, entered the vehicle and sped off.
Police added that a public-spirited citizen, who is a licensed firearm holder, witnessed the robbery and discharged his weapon to help the robbery victims.
Acting Commander of ‘A’ Division Marlon Chapman confirmed the robbery to Stabroek News. He visited the scene, spoke with the Chief Security Officer, other officials and the victims.
Speaking to this newspaper, attorney Jerome Khan, whose offices are located in the vicinity where the attack occurred, described the incident as “highly unusual,” while noting that it has shaken workers in the area. “We can’t deny that crime has been happening every day but there must be a better approach by the Guyana Police Force in terms of gathering information and not wait until something happens,” he said.
