Bandits invade supermarket, escape with $1.4M

The Egou Supermarket

Pandemonium broke out on Tuesday evening as Joint Service ranks flooded the Melanie North Public Road, East Coast Demerara (ECD), in response to an armed robbery where heavily armed bandits had invaded a Chinese-owned supermarket in the area.
When Guyana Times visited the business owner and his family, he related that gunmen had on two previous occasions within the past two weeks attempted to gain entry to the supermarket.

Chinese businessman Zhi Shan Lim showing the gunshot wound to his leg

Police on Wednesday said that they were investigating the robbery under arms committed on the 48-year-old businessman, Zhi Shan Lim, the Chinese national who owns the Egou Supermarket located at Melanie North, ECD.
Reports are four bandits, three of whom were armed with guns, invaded the business about 19:30h. According to Police, the suspects managed to escape with $1.4 million, a Samsung S8 cellphone, a quantity of phone cards, and a Digital Video Recorder (DVR). However, the businessman said while Police reported that $1.4 million was stolen, his records reflect $1.8 million.
Reports are that the proprietor, along with five employees, who are Chinese nationals, were in the supermarket when one of the suspects entered and purchased an item. He then exited and signalled the others.
One of the gunmen approached a lone security guard and relieved him of his 12-gauge single-barrel shotgun, which had five live rounds of ammunition.
The owner’s son, Ling, told this publication that after pouncing on the security guard, the gunmen entered the building and immediately closed the shutters.
They then ripped out the DVR, causing the cameras to automatically shut down, Ling said.
According to Ling, the gunmen then held his father and employees at gunpoint and demanded their valuables as they discharged several rounds in the building.
One of the gunmen then lashed an employee, who is a relative of the owner, to the head and gun-butted the owner’s wife to her face, while another suspect shot the businessman to the left leg.
The suspects then made their escape.
When Police responded, checks were made in the building and around the area, but the suspects were not found. Meanwhile, the injured victims were escorted to a private city hospital, where they were treated and sent away.
The 21-year-old security guard, of Bachelor’s Adventure, ECD, has since been taken into custody to assist with the investigations. Police are currently searching for the four gunmen. (G9)