– victims suspect use of sleep-inducing spray
A daring early Saturday morning robbery in ‘A’ Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown, has left three families reeling after bandits targeted their homes.
The victims, who suspect they were sprayed with a sleep-inducing substance, only became aware of the break-in when a relative was awakened by suspicious noises.
One of the homeowners who gave his name only as ‘Jano”, told Guyana Times the incident took place around 2:00h., with at least three armed intruders sneaking into the properties.
Two of the houses—belonging to a man and his parents—were in the same yard, while the third, a neighbour’s home, was located next door.
The homeowner recounted that the perpetrators gained access by unscrewing light bulbs, jumping the fence, and forcing open locked doors.
In his home, where he resided with his wife and three-year-old son, the thieves made off with a generator valued at $70,000, a working bag containing important documents, a wallet with approximately $150,000 in cash, and cell phones.
The suspects then entered the parents’ home, where three individuals were asleep.
There, they ransacked wardrobes, emptied purses, and stole an estimated $180,000 in jewellery, $340,000 in cash, and two cell phones valued at approximately $70,000 combined. They also took two bicycles that were in the yard.
The victims were reportedly unaware of the intrusion until the homeowner’s sister, who lived with her parent, was startled by someone attempting to break into her bedroom.
“My sister heard someone shaking her door. She called out for my mom, but no one responded. She called louder, and that’s when the intruder ran off,” the homeowner explained.
Upon checking outside, the woman spotted two men dressed in all black, jumping over the front fence.
At the neighbouring property, it was reported that a young girl woke up to find one of the bandits inside her bedroom. Terrified, she pleaded with him not to harm her. The thief, in response, stole a laptop and a music system but left without inflicting any physical harm.
The victims believe the robbers used a sleep-inducing spray, as no one in the three homes woke up despite the intruder’s forcing entry and ransacking the premises.
“For them to hit three houses within a short time and open locked doors without making much noise—it’s suspicious. I definitely believe we were sprayed. Also, my sister said after they left, she was shaking my parents for some time to alert them of what happened, and they were not waking up. It was after some time they woke up and my father came and called for me. When I woke up, I saw my door was wide open,” the homeowner stated.
The homeowner said that immediately after, they called Police from Brickdam and Turkeyen stations in Georgetown and they responded to the scene.
They reportedly took photographs of footprints left in the yard and along the escape route. Investigators suspect the thieves used bicycles to flee the area, as two were reportedly stolen.
Although Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) footage captured three suspects dressed in black, their faces were obscured due to poor lighting and blind spots in the camera angles. The victims are still trying to recover additional footage.
Authorities are urging residents in the area to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity. An investigation is ongoing.
