…Police vow to dismantle carjacking gang
An ex-Cop was promptly detained on Monday after he attempted to steal a car belonging to a Police Constable but failed when he crashed the vehicle a short distance away.
Reports surrounding the incident revealed that at around 10:30h, the plain clothes Constable, 32-year-old Rawle Alexander, of Cane View Avenue, South Ruimveldt parked his Silver Toyota Carina 212 motorcar at Second Street, Alberttown, Georgetown, to make a quick stop at a nearby store.
The officer reportedly left his car keys in the ignition. However, when he returned just mere minutes after, he noticed a male racing away West on Second Street with his vehicle, turning South into Cummings Street.
The perpetrator in his bid to escape, crashed the car into two other parked vehicles, motor van GVV 9639 and vehicle PNN 2387, a short distance away.
As such, he was apprehended and taken into custody where he was identified as an ex-Policeman, Randy Charles, 33, who resides in Red Road, Sophia, Greater Georgetown. An investigation is ongoing.
Meanwhile, as car owners are now forced to operate their vehicles in fear that they might be the next victim in the growing string of carjacking attacks, Police A Division (Georgetown-East Bank Demerara) Commander Marlon Chapman on Tuesday announced that the Police Force have recorded some success in cracking down on such cases.
Chapman was at the time speaking at the Guyana Police Force’s A Division annual Christmas Celebration when he took the opportunity to applaud ranks within his jurisdiction for recent fruitful efforts in clamping down on hijacking incidents in and around the city.
In doing so, the Assistant Commissioner of Police relayed, “One of major concerns in the Division is the offence of robbery under arms where vehicles are being stolen and I am pleased to inform you that we have made some success thus far.”
The A Division Commander further detailed that, “Two persons are in custody, one as recent as yesterday (Monday), and my assurance to you is that that gang will be dismantled.”
Earlier this year, the Guyana Police Force had issued a warning, particularly to taxi drivers operating Toyota Premio and Allion motorcars, signalling that there is a brewing scheme to attack and relive the motorists of their vehicles.
Ever since this announcement back in February, these cases have only been on a rise, some of which have seen taxi drivers being brutalised in the ploy as bandits cart off with their vehicles.
On Monday there were reports of one such sickening attack which saw armed hijackers driving off in a vehicle carrying a sleeping child. After realising the child was in the car, the young girl was tossed out of the motorcar as the carjackers made good their escape.
However, according to Police last week, there have been 25 carjackings in the past seven months.
However until recently, Police were unable to zoom in on possible suspects, and as such, the vehicles have not been recovered.
Guyana Times understands that Police have approached certain mechanic shops with the hope of finding the hijacked vehicles, but have come across stumbling blocks.
It is on this note that a multi-agency approach was conceptualised which will allow for investigators to be armed with the necessary tools and information on specifications so as to narrow in on suspects and ultimately recover the stolen cars.
