Armed men storm bar, rob owners and customers of cash & valuables

– “getaway car” used in crime recovered

A gunman and a knife-wielding bandit stormed a popular drinking spot in Parika, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), on Friday evening and assaulted the owners and patrons before relieving them of cash and jewellery.

The armed men along with their two accomplices made good their escape in a white motorcar that was parked a short distance away.
The 58-year-old bar owner was left traumatised after two of the men assaulted her son along with an employee during the ordeal that lasted less than five minutes.
She requested anonymity for fear of her life and potential robbery attempts since she also operates another business in Georgetown.
Reports are that around 23:05h on the night in question, the bar was packed with customers when two men stormed the premises – one of whom had a rag tied around his head to conceal half of his face.
They then proceeded to make demands and ordered persons to hand over their cash and jewellery.
“One walked straight pass me with the gun by his side, jumped over the counter, and hit my employee on his chest and shoved him in a chair telling him not to talk while pointing a gun at the boy. My son, he runs the business, and my son came out and the bandit hit him on his head with the gun and he fell down. When he fell, they kicked him about two times so I didn’t really focus on all of them because I was focused on my son but it was four of them [bandits],” the owner stated.
The woman explained that her establishment houses a bar and a gambling section. However, she was unable to state the amount of cash that the bandits had left with.
“When me look back, I see one of them with a knife, and a bandit shove me down back on the sofa I was sitting on. They come in and my son had a little canister with the shop money and the casino canister was a big one but to tell you how much money I won’t know. Since holiday the casino person did not come to collect the total casino money as yet so when she comes and checks the machines she would know is how much.”
According to the woman, the bandits then attacked the customers and robbed them of their cellular phones.
However, one customer was in the gambling section when the knife-toting bandit attacked him and relieved him of a gold band and gold chain.
The proprietress related that after the robbery, the men rushed into a white motorcar that had been parked between her premises and a fast food outlet.
The car along with the robbers was captured on CCTV cameras which were handed over to the police.
Her business has been in operation for the past 35 years and this is the first time it was robbed.
“Last night was a scary time for we. We never see nothing like this. We never go through anything like that.”
Meanwhile, the male customer who was robbed of his gold chain and gold band told Guyana Times that he was injured after he put up a fight with his attacker.
He added that the bandit was also attempting to grab the keys to his vehicle but was told by his accomplice to “leave the man car keys” before they left. Guyana Times understands that the police have since intercepted the getaway car as they continue their investigations. (Kristen Macklingam)