upermarket owner claims cops acted uncaring after robbery
There is no doubt that the Guyana Police Force has been desperately trying to build a
The supermarket that was robbed.
relationship with members of the public, but it seems as if some ranks are not too interested in developing a relationship with the people who are paying them.
Take for instance, a businessman, his customers and staff were harassed and robbed at gunpoint by three men at Fresh Mart Supermarket in Covent Garden, East Bank Demerara around 19:30 hrs on Wednesday.
The businessman says that approximately 20 minutes after the robbery, provided images captured on surveillance camera of the suspects and a possible location of the gunmen, but this information was completely disregarded by the police.
Firstly, when the proprietor visited the Providence Police Station to report the robbery Wednesday night, he claims he was told that the station was “closed off for the night”.
Secondly, up until 14:00 hrs yesterday, the police did not visit the businessman’s premises in Covent Garden to take fingerprints—despite promising to do so at 08:00hrs.
One of the suspects (at left) is seen here on one of the business place’s surveillance cameras.
Wednesday night’s incident was not the first, but in fact a series of robberies that occurred there. “I get so fed up of the police at the Providence station that I stopped reporting when things happen but this time, too many people were involved,” the man said.
He explained that his numerous “horrifying” experiences with the Guyana Police Force have discouraged him in continuing business in Guyana.
“The Minister (Khemraj Ramjattan) said that he will regulate private security firms, but the police force needs to be regulated, because the police are not doing anything for the citizens and there is no protection for anyone,” the businessman stated.
He explained that immediately after the robbery, he was able to trace his stolen cellular phone (which has a tracking device) and related this information to the police. “The police said that they will send a patrol, but up to now, nothing was done.”
The proprietor is offering a $1M reward for any information leading to the arrest of the three suspects.
Recalling what transpired on the night of the robbery, the businessman said that they were just about to close the supermarket when two customers went in and requested to purchase a few items.
It was while the two staffers were attending to the customers that the three suspects rushed into the supermarket and demanded that everyone lie on the floor.
The men made off with an undisclosed sum of cash from the supermarket along with valuables from the staffers and customers.
While no one was harmed, the men did threaten to return and “kill a few people” if they called the police.
The businessman believes that the robbery might have been plotted by someone whom he had a confrontation with sometime last month. He is calling on the police to conduct a thorough investigation.