Two armed bandits on Saturday evening robbed the proprietors of a Chinese supermarket, located a stone’s throw away from the Albion Police Station, of $250,000 in cash and one iPhone, before escaping.
The bandits, who were armed with an AR-16 rifle and a shotgun, entered the Z-One supermarket located at Lot 16 B Albion Front, Corentyne, around 9:15 pm on Saturday.
Stabroek News was told that the bandits arrived on foot from a cross street located next to the supermarket and then entered at the front. The robbery was caught on the supermarket’s CCTV cameras and the video seen by this newspaper showed one bandit pointing his gun to a male Chinese national and ordering him to lie on the ground, while the second gunman rushed to the cashier and ordered the female Chinese national to empty the register. He then proceeded to the second counter and removed a sum of money from that register as well.
Another female Chinese national was, in the footage, observed stooping down with an infant in her hand.
According to a staff member attached to the supermarket, the bandits, during the ordeal, dealt one of the proprietors several lashes to her head. He said that the bandits kept demanding that the woman “bring the money from the room.” The man explained that there is a room located aback of the building where the owners reside.
Meanwhile, after grabbing some $250,000 in cash and one cellular phone, the bandit who stood guard started to discharge multiple rounds. “We hear like 30 shots and people just start lie down flat and run,” one resident said.
According to the resident, ranks at the Albion Police Station also heard the gunshots following which the station’s patrol vehicle was dispatched to the supermarket. However, their vehicle was met with a hail of bullets from the gunman, causing the ranks to reportedly reverse from the scene.
Two shots hit the police’s vehicle.
According to customers who were present at the supermarket, the bandits, after shooting at the police, walked through the street next to the supermarket then cut through a cross street. Residents claimed that the bandits lingered in a yard there for some time, giving the impression that they were making sure it was clear to make an escape.
Residents claimed that although they informed the police, no one showed up to patrol the cross street; instead, the police remained at the crime scene. “Them deh on the main road and people telling them that the bandits go through that street and them [the bandits] been deh for some time but them police na go, like them [the police] na been know wah fa do, so them bandits go way after no police na go,” said one customer.
It was also disclosed to this newspaper that ranks, who were present at the scene, did not return fire when the bandits fired at them. “The gunman went outside and everybody in the shop did lie down flat but me ain’t know why the police na open back fire [on] them, them [the police] got to know,” the customer said.
Additionally, one customer claimed that a rank, after being questioned, told those gathered that the bandits had “powerful weapons” and that is why they did not return fire.
According to one resident, moments before the robbery, a 212 car was seen driving without its lights through the street next to the supermarket. She said the car parked, persons exited and moments later, they heard gunshots coming from the supermarket.
Residents yesterday did not hold back while speaking to Stabroek News, heavily criticising the ranks who responded to the gunshots. The residents chastised the police for not working on information provided to them on the spot from eyewitnesses.
One resident said she heard noise coming from her backyard, “like somebody pulling on the zinc.” She said ranks at the Albion Police Station were immediately informed but they did not show up; instead they were patrolling the main road, customers said.
Stabroek News yesterday noticed a hole in the woman’s fence with what appeared to be blood. “It look like them try fa pass through but them cut them self,” the resident said.
“Me hear the noise for some time and me call the police but them na act,” she told media operatives.
Additionally, several footprints were noticed next to the woman’s gate. “It look like them hide out here till it ease down and then them get away, but me hear noise a back there for a while,” the still terrified woman said.
The police have launched an investigation but up to press time yesterday, no arrest had been made.
