A 28-year-old man who was caught stealing in an electronics outlet at the Stabroek Market on Thursday sustained a single gunshot to his left leg after trying to attack Constabulary ranks with a knife.
The man, who identified himself as Delwar Booker of South Sophia Squatting Area, Greater Georgetown, is currently nursing his wounds under Police guard at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.
It was reported that about 02:30h, the Constabulary received information relating to a disturbance within the city market so a team that makes regular checks immediately responded.
Checks revealed that security padlocks on the south-western end of the market had been breached. Further checks revealed that one of the stalls – Electronics City – had been broken into.
Upon discovery of this, the ranks initially called out to the suspect and demanded that he relieve himself of all weapons and exit the stall. That was when the man is said to have emerged with the knife and advanced on the ranks. Despite warnings he persisted in advancing, so one round was thus discharged, hitting the suspect in his leg.
A haversack containing a number of stolen items, which included valuable cellphones, was removed from the scene. A number of tools used in the break-in were also found at the site, among them crowbars, pliers and scissors.
Operators of the Electronics City stall expressed gratitude over the Constabulary’s quick response. They said had the suspect gotten his way, he would have carted off more than $2 million in electronic items.
Investigations are continuing into the matter.