Berbice bandits raid MoneyGram, terrorize vendor
The MoneyGram section of Spready’s Supermarket, Port Mourant, Corentyne, Berbice was yesterday afternoon robbed by a lone bandit. The daring daylight robbery took place at approximately 15:00 hrs.
According to a staff member attached to the snackette located in the said building, the man entered the MoneyGram outlet with a black helmet on.
“The man come in, a kinda dougla man, and he go inside and rest he hand on the counter. He see the girl over the counter counting money and then he stretch he hand and pull her hair and lash her head on the counter.”
According to the staff member, the man scaled the counter and took the money in the two drawers that were open and dumped the cash in a black bag he had in his possession. She stated that the bandit then scaled the counter and escaped with the loot.
From reports gathered, the armed man had his motorcycle parked outside. He reportedly rode a short distance away but his motorcycle gave up and he escaped on foot. The bike was left not too far away from the supermarket- it was later removed by police.
The perpetrator had escaped with approximately $800,000 in cash.
The injured staffer was taken to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital for a medical examination and was treated and sent away.
Meanwhile, as the MoneyGram robbery was in progress, the home of Nirmala Devi Persaud, 50, a vendor who operates a stall at her home at Lot 17 Kildonan Village, Corentyne, Berbice was invaded by three men- two of them masked. One man allegedly brandished a handgun whilst another had in his possession a roll of duct tape.
A traumatized Persaud, at her home, disclosed that the ordeal that took place at just about 15:00hrs.
“Meh binna clean fish ah back and three man come in meh yard from the back and start chuck meh up. Dem tie meh hand and dem bring meh inside the house and dem tie meh up more with the duct tape…All meh head, hand and foot.”
According to the woman, the bandits began to ransack a room in the bottom flat of her home in search of cash and jewelry. She told this publication that all along, the men demanded cash from her.
“Dem ask meh fuh meh money and gold and me tell dem me nah get. Me had one lil bob earing pon meh ears and the one with the gun tek am.”
She stressed that she told them that she had nothing more to give but handed over her purse in which she had a mere $80.
Persaud also disclosed that the men took her upstairs and ransacked the upper flat of the home but came up empty handed.
They reportedly exited the rear entrance of the house and ran towards the front. “Wan gal come fa buy carrot and she binna call and call. Dem na had noway fa guh and when she gan dem run out the back door and run out the front yard.”
The woman stated that she could identify the unmasked man if seen again. No one has been arrested in connection with the said robbery.
A police source stated that ranks are currently combing the Corentyne area for the suspects in connection with both robberies.