Three men are currently in custody following an armed robbery on Wei Gao, a 43-year-old Chinese businessman and owner of ‘Shopping 25’ General Store, located in Block ‘B’ Lethem, Central Rupununi.
According to a police press release, the incident took place around 2.15 pm on Sunday, when the suspects, identified as three males one armed with a submachine gun and the others with handguns, entered the store and held Gao at gunpoint.
During the robbery, the assailants demanded cash and stole twenty-one new Xiao Mi cell phones valued at approximately $1,620,000 and $500,000 in cash, totaling $2,120,000.
The suspects were reported to be speaking Portuguese and dressed in dark clothing. They fled the scene on foot towards Tabatinga, making their way west toward the Lethem Commercial Zone. Senior Superintendent Raphael Rose, the Commander for Regional Police Division #9, led a team of detectives to the crime scene shortly after the robbery was reported.
Commander Rose and team gave chase and spotted the three suspects walking, heading south near some bushes towards the Guyana/Brazil border.
When they noticed the police vehicle approaching, the suspects opened fire on it. No injury was reported despite the police vehicle being struck four times. In response to the gunfire and in an effort to apprehend the suspects, a Joint Services patrol team was formed. This collaboration ultimately led to the arrest of all three individuals in Brazil. The three individuals are in custody in Brazil. The investigations continue.
This is the second high-profile attack in the Rupununi in just over a week believed to have been carried out by Brazilians.
