Police, bandits exchange gunfire after ECD supermarket robbery

– 1 suspect arrested

An armed robbery at Hong Yuang Supermarket at Vryheid Lust, East Coast Demerara (ECD) escalated into an exchange of gunfire on Friday evening during which one suspect was cornered.
Based on reports received, two men wearing surgical masks with hoodies over their heads, one of whom was armed with a knife and the other with a handgun, escaped with a quantity of GTT phone cards and two Samsung mobile phones belonging to the proprietors of the supermarket.
A security guard attached to Omkar Persaud Security Service told the Police that around 16:52h, he was on duty when the suspects arrived at the supermarket on a motorcycle bearing registration number CL 5553.
Both suspects disembarked the motorcycle and entered the supermarket, where they proceeded to the cashier area and took an undisclosed sum of cash and phone cards. One of the suspects then relieved the proprietor of the mentioned cell phones.

Thereafter, the suspects exited the supermarket and escaped on the motorcycle.
About 16:59h, the matter was reported to the Vigilance Police Station. As a result, a Police patrol responded promptly, and while proceeding along Lusignan Prison Road, ECD, the suspects were spotted on a red motorcycle.
The ranks reportedly gave chase, and the pillion rider discharged several rounds in the direction of the ranks, who returned fire.
While at Felicity Railway Embankment, ECD, the rider reportedly lost control of the motorcycle and crashed into a trench. In a bid to escape, both suspects got up, left the motorcycle, and ran into a bushy area.
The ranks went after them, but they managed to escape.
A 9mm pistol, one magazine with seven live rounds of matching ammunition, one Samsung cellphone, one black side bag containing $1240 in $20 bills, and one knife were found close to the abandoned motorcycle.
Meanwhile, several Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras that were affixed to the supermarket were examined by the investigators, and footage that captured the ordeal was extracted.
As a result, the Police interviewed the security guard since the CCTV footage revealed that he was ‘casual’ with one of the suspects.
About 22:25h that night, Police, acting on information received, arrested a 20-year-old unemployed resident of Leopold Street, Georgetown, who fitted the description of one of the suspects.
He was told of the allegation, cautioned, arrested, and taken to Vigilance Police Station, where he was placed into custody to assist with the investigation. Investigations are ongoing.