A suspected bandit was killed during a shootout with police at Vryheid Village, West Canje, Berbice, early yesterday morning.
Up to press time, the man had not been positively identified but residents of the area told Stabroek News that he was known to them as ‘Blackie.’ A search of the farmhouse where the man had been staying uncovered property that was stolen during an armed robbery last Friday. As a result, police also conducted a search of a Mount Sinai house belonging to the owner of the farmhouse and found a pistol and more stolen goods. A man who was present at the property was arrested.
Police had gone to the farmhouse to investigate the theft of 29 head of sheep from a Betsy Ground farmer when they were reportedly confronted by the deceased.
According to a police statement on the shooting, the ranks proceeded towards the entrance of the house and were immediately confronted by the man, who rushed into the house, armed himself with a handgun and attempted to shoot the armed policeman who was behind him. However, the policeman returned fire until the man fell to the ground.
‘Blackie’ was rushed to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. His body is now at the Arokium Funeral Home awaiting an identification and a subsequent post-mortem examination.
Police say they retrieved a silver Taurus pistol and six live matching rounds. They added that the farmhouse was searched and a phone, two silver rings, a silver chain, a laptop computer and several electronic gadgets were found. They confirmed that the phone, rings and the chain belonged to a 27-year old man of Ankerville, Port Mourant, who was robbed at gunpoint last Friday evening at Smithfield, New Amsterdam. The robber reportedly fit the description of ‘Blackie.’ The robber allegedly discharged a round from a silver handgun during the attack police added.
The statement noted that the farmhouse is owned by a well-known convict who lives at Mount Sinai, New Amsterdam. As a result of the shootout, a police team went to the house at Mount Sinai, where they discovered an unlicensed Taurus pistol with ten live rounds. Police added that after searching the house, they found a laptop, seven cellular phones, and a pair of binoculars. Although the owner of the house was not home at the time, the police arrested a 28- year old man from Sand Hill, Berbice River, who was present and also
impounded two motorcycles and a car.
Sheep theft
Meanwhile, Toolsie Baljit, 74, of Betsy Ground, East Canje, told Stabroek News that the sheep had been stolen from his grandson’s ranch at Calabash Creek, Canje River last Saturday evening.
He said his watchman told him that he heard noises and went to check what was going on when he was confronted by three men. They tied him up and threw him in a hammock after placing a bag over his head.”Me grandson them go in Sunday morning to take ration and then them find him and bring him out,” the man said, while noting that a report was then immediately made at the Reliance Police Station.
He said his grandson was told by persons who live near the ranch that three men came with a red boat and loaded as much sheep that could fit in the vessel. He said after the matter was reported, they then took it upon themselves to go search for the sheep. “Abie decide to search under the bridge and then abie say let abie go down a Vryheid back that if them go take them sheep this them might a come out a Mara side,” he explained. “After abie go deh, abie meet them creek people and them told abie say that them man load the sheep into a white canter,” Baljit said.
Baljit said they then decided to search the area but they came up empty-handed and decided to leave the matter in the hands of the police. However, after investigating, three ranks and Baljit’s grandson went to Vryheid Village, where the man positively identified twelve of his sheep tied at the back of a farmhouse in which the suspected bandit was shot.
