A Corentyne, Berbice family is left traumatised after a group of heavily armed bandits invaded their home and carted off with some .5 million in cash and a quantity of jewellery on Monday evening.
Bandits carrying guns and knives invaded the home of businessman Agbar Ali located at Lot 16 King Street, Belvedere, Corentyne, Berbice.
Reports are that six persons were at home when the men jumped into the verandah of the house and committed the robbery.
Bibi Sherina Ali, who was at home at the time of the robbery, said when she noticed that the home was being invaded, she and a daughter quickly locked themselves in a bedroom.
The Belvedere house that was invaded
The woman said at the time of the invasion, the house was well lit and an unoccupied building next door was also lit.
“We hear the dog bark like somebody pelt the dog so we watch over by the verandah but didn’t see anything but the dog keep barking at the back. My brother was in the bedroom and all awe deh outside. So we sit and after we hear the dog bark, we decide to go inside so as we about to close the door I see somebody jump on the verandah at the side. He say don’t move; he get a gun and a knife,” the woman explained.
She said that despite the warning, they started screaming as they ran into one of the bedrooms. “I go in the front room and the rest of the family go to the back room and he tell them don’t holla or he gon shoot, and after we stop holla, dem attack me brother inside the bedroom,” the woman recounted.
Another family member reported that she and two others were taken into a bedroom by one of the men who was armed with a gun and a knife and told to be quiet, while Ali said one of the men held him at gunpoint and demanded money.
The haberdashery huckster said he first heard his sister and uncle screaming.
“After the screaming I hear a funny voice and then about two or three seconds I see a man inside my room masked, he says, “bring the money, don’t hollar.” I open the ‘chess’ (vault) took out $2.5 million and he left. Soon after the Police came, we called Whim [Police station] and they send the patrol.”
The invasion lasted about three minutes. According to the businessman, he only saw one of the men. His sister said she saw another one.
Some neighbours say they saw the men entering the home. No one has been arrested, but Police say they are continuing their
Businessman Agbar Ali
investigations.
According to Ali, the money was acquired from sales over a period of time and he made arrangements to make a payment on his car and also to pay some of his suppliers on Tuesday.
Over the past few weeks there have been a series of robberies along the lower Corentyne, with the most daring being the invasion of a house situated opposite the Albion Police Station on March 13. On April 10, a man was killed when bandits invaded his home at Topu.
There have also been other home invasions at Belvedere, Port Mourant, Ankerville, Hampshire and Rose Hall Town.
