Gunmen invade Berbice supermarket

…shoot owner, escape with car

Over six gunmen on Saturday evening invaded a Berbice supermarket, firing shots indiscriminately as they demanded cash and valuables. Reports are the incident occurred at about 19:30h at Chennick and Sons Supermarket and Western Union outlet of Betsy Ground, East Canje, Berbice.

Owner of the supermarket, Doodnauth Moses was gun-butted and also shot. However, his injuries are not life-threatening. This newspaper was told that about eight masked men, one armed with a handgun and the others armed with assault rifles, stormed the supermarket, while several customers were shopping. Eyewitnesses told this newspaper that about 15 to 20 shots were fired by the gunmen. When this publication arrived at the scene, family members of the injured businessman said that they are unsure about how much cash and other valuables the gunmen escaped with but know for sure that they went away with the businessman’s car. Customers who were in the supermarket were also robbed. The entire attack, this newspaper was told, lasted for about six minutes, during which time Moses’ nephew was also injured. Witnesses said that the bandits arrived in an old model white Allion motorcar. As the gunmen left, they demanded the key to the businessman’s car. The car was shortly afterwards found abandoned at New Forest – about four miles away from the scene of the robbery. Police were summoned to the scene and gave chase but the bandits managed to evade them and escaped.