Vault with cash and transports stolen from Communities Ministry’s office in NA

Thieves broke into the office of the Communities Ministry formerly the Housing and Water Ministry at New Amsterdam and removed a vault containing cash and transports.

The window through which the thieves gained access

The office, which is located at the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) compound, was burglarised sometime between Saturday evening and Sunday midday. Reports are that the robbery was discovered when staff arrived at the office on Sunday at 11:45h.

The robbers entered the building by cutting a stiff mesh window and removing the louver panes before prising open the mesh. The vault which was situated in the supervisors’ office contained $4000 and 467 transports.

Initial reports suggest that the guard on duty found the door open and the mesh prised open, but made no reports claiming that she had no credit in her cellular phone to make calls. However, the guard hut is equipped with a telephone.

This publication understands that the guard who worked the night shift reported that everything was fine when she handed over to the other guard at 07:00h. Investigators are working on a theory that the incident occurred during the dark hours and a proper handover was not done. The window was visible from several houses and from a major road.

A source close to the Ministry explained that arrangements were made to have staff show up at the office on Sunday midday to work. “We have a lot of backlog work to do and we have been working late until seven in the night (19:00h) every day and on Sundays,” one staffer explained.

The intruders also took away a laptop computer which belongs to a staff member. None of the other documents in the offices were interfered with.

Police visited the scene and were able to retrieve fingerprints. Evidence at the scene also suggests that the vault was lifted and taken over the back fence from where the thieves had entered. Police have launched an investigation and up to press time, one guard was in custody assisting with the investigation. Several other guards have been questioned.