A 50-year-old pressman attached to the National Media and Publishing Company, publishers of Kaieteur News, was held at gunpoint in broad daylight yesterday and robbed of $74,000 cash and his motorcycle at Lamaha Park, Georgetown.
Police spokesman, Assistant Commissioner Royston Andries-Junor yesterday confirmed the incident which occurred around 11.45 am on the Lamaha Park Access Road.
The crime was committed by two armed men on a motorcycle. Andries-Junor said that up to yesterday afternoon they had not been apprehended.
At the time of the incident, Etkins was on his way to his Lamaha Park house which is currently under renovation. The stolen Honda motorcycle, CK 516 is valued at $290,000.
The police in a press release yesterday said that enquiries revealed that Etkins was riding in a southern direction along the Lamaha Park Access Road, when the perpetrators rode up alongside him from the northern direction.
“The armed pillion rider then pulled out a black handgun from his pants waist, pointed it in the direction of the victim (Etkins) which caused him to become fearful for his life (and) he fell to the road,” the statement explained.
The attackers then stopped and the pillion rider dismounted the motorcycle and picked up Etkins’ motorcycle. Both bandits escaped.
In a telephone interview with Stabroek News yesterday, Etkins detailed the ordeal.
He said as he turned south into Lamaha Park he was approached by the two suspects.
“….They stopped and the pillion rider pulled the weapon out. I thought it might have been a bluff but when I heard the crack, when he pull the gun, I started to run, looking back. And upon looking back trying to escape, I fell and I bruise my knee. He came over me with the gun, brandishing the gun in my face and rob me of $74,000 and my motorcycle,” he explained.
“When I tried to turn the corner, they blocked me and I try to rev the motorcycle onto them but then the pillion rider came off. Of course everything moving fast and he pulled the gun on me. I still try to ride on them but when I hear the sound of the gun, I get nervous and I skip off the bike and I start to run,” Etkins added.
The pillion rider escaped on Etkins’ motorcycle while his accomplice fled on the motorcycle on which they arrived at the scene.
During the ordeal, Etkins said the bandits made no demand. “This thing happen within seconds,” he said.
Etkins said he is unsure whether he was trailed by the bandits. He, however, recalled noticing two men on a motorcycle turning around prior to him being attacked.
“Sitting and trying to recollect, I noticed two guys stopped at the black and white bridge, that’s by A Field (Sophia) and they turn but just across the street there is a vulcanizing shop. I looked at them but I figured well probably they just stop to get some air or something from the vulcanizing shop. So I continue riding but when they rode up on me and blocked my path, then is when I realised that this is what they really turned around for,” Etkins related.
A report was lodged at the East La Penitence police station. Etkins said the police have since obtained a statement from him and they have also revisited the scene, as they embark on an investigation.
According to Etkins, the police related to him that they will try to review CCTV footage from the area in an effort to track the suspects.
