Two armed bandits in the wee hours of Tuesday terrorised a Canal Number Two, West Bank Demerara, family before escaping with a quantity of cash and jewellery but not before they were injured during a scuffle with the victims.
Brothers, Himkarran and Rabindra Sumdhat, of Lot 77 Alliance, Canal Number Two Polder, West Bank Demerara, had to receive medical attention after they were assaulted by armed bandits who stormed their homes at about 02:00h.
Guyana Times understands that one of the brothers was asleep in a hammock outside when he was awakened by two men, one of whom was armed with a handgun. The duo then led him into the bottom flat of the two-storey home via the backdoor that was just pushed in.
The men’s father, Monoogi Sumdhat, explained that he was awakened by a rap on his bedroom door and as he opened it, he saw the two unmasked gunmen holding
The gun the bandit was disarmed of
his son hostage.
“They bring we out in the hall (Monoogi, his sickly wife and young daughter) and put we to lay down… And ask “whey de money deh?” I tell them me nah work nowhere so me na get money. Then me son say the other house get some money. Then they tie we up and take my son and go over the next house,” the former Wales Estate man related.
Monoogi further related that he managed to untie himself and ran out of the house. He made his way to a Policeman where he informed him of what was transpiring.
Back at his residence, two of his sons who are residing adjacent to each other in the same yard, were alerted by knocks on the door and only opened after they heard their brother calling out to them.
One of the men’s wives, Vidya, recalled that when her brother-in-law opened the door, the two bandits, holding her other brother-in-law at gunpoint entered the house.
“They rush in the room, and said nobody don’t move it’s a robbery… [One of the bandits] said put on lights, and pass all the money with the jewellery. I pass him the container with the jewellery and I gave him a bundle with hundred dollar notes. He said if this is all and give my small brother-in-law a hit with the gun and he pitch straight into the walldrobe and he said pass the rest of money and my husband
The suspected getaway vehicle used by the bandits
take out the money and give it to them,” the woman recounted.
According to Vidya, over $700,000 cash was given to the bandits. She continued that her big brother-in-law then jumped on the bandit with the gun and a scuffle ensued during which the perpetrator was disarmed.
“When they started to fight, the one with the gun tell the other one [who had the jewellery and cash] go and call the rest but when he run out through the door, I bolt it from the inside. They continue fighting inside however my brother-in-law get the gun from him and when he tried to shoot him, the gun snap so he outside [in the hall] and tried fixing it,” the woman further recalled.
Outside, the alerted Policeman, attached to the Wales Police Station, called for backup and as he was heading over to the house, he came under fire on the road and was forced to retreat.
Meanwhile, Vidya further stated that she run out through the back door to alert another brother-in-law, who lives in a house at the back of the yard but he was already made aware of what was happening and was heading to the front house armed with a cutlass.
She added that her brother-in-law confronted the lone bandit in the house and dealt him a chop but he (bandit) managed to run out the house and into a blue NZE Toyota motor car that parked on the road.
The woman added that her husband and one of his brothers went in pursuit of the bandit who went in the direction of the West Coast of Demerara.
However, their vehicle broke down at the Vreed-en-Hoop junction and as such, reported the matter to the station there.
Ranks at the Leonora Police Station were alerted and set up a road block during which they intercepted a vehicle matching the description given by the victims.
The vehicle, which this newspaper was told is a rental, was impounded after the Police discovered a “suspected blood-stained jersey as well as traces of blood” inside.
A subsequent statement from the Police said the, “two male bandits suspected to have been seriously injured during [the] robbery… are currently being sought by Police whilst the driver of a car reportedly used to transport the perpetrators, is being interrogated.”
Meanwhile, the victims handed over to the Police, the unlicensed 9mm pistol along with two live matching rounds that was taken from one of the bandit during the scuffle. Further investigations are in progress. (Vahnu Manikchand)
