Pump attendant shot as lone gunman robs NA gas station
A pump attendant attached to M Ali Service Station at New Amsterdam was on Friday morning shot when a lone gunman carried out a daring daylight robbery, carting off hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Reports are that the robbery occurred around 11:00h at the gas station, which is situated at Main and King Streets, New Amsterdam.
The injured pump attendant is 42-year-old Yadram Ronnie. He is battling for his life at the New Amsterdam Hospital after he was shot to his neck.
At the time of the robbery, he and two other attendants were on duty. One of the attendants, Andrea Devraj explained that the lone gunman was seen walking about King Street, but no one had any idea of his motive.
“Nobody knew that is rob he coming to rob,” Devraj said, adding that when the man arrived at the gas station no one paid much attention to him.
“Because when he come, he didn’t pull out the gun right away… Is after the man didn’t give him the bag, then he pull out the gun and fire the shot.”
The gunman left a slipper behind as he fled eastward down King Street.
Meanwhile, Regional Commander, Superintendent Boodnarine Persaud speaking with the media at the robbery scene said the Police have been able to arrest two persons shortly after the incident.
“We are in receipt of CCTV footage which gave us an image to work with of the lone perpetrator who was armed with a firearm and based on that image, we pursued two suspects and were able to arrest two persons so far for questioning,” Commander Persaud said.
Following the robbery, Police combed the Angoy’s Avenue and Smithfield communities.
According to the Commander, there is information that suggests that the bandit may have been picked up by an accomplice, who was riding a motorbike.
The injured employee was in possession of a bag containing in excess of $600,000 from the previous day’s sales and was in the process of taking it to the bank to be deposited when the gunman approached.
This is not the first time bandits have targeted the M Ali and Sons gas station. In September 2020, another pump attendant identified as Shazam Melville was shot to the back during a daylight robbery wherein the gunmen escaped with over $800,000 in cash.
In 2010, a pump attendant employed by the company at its Strand outlet left with the day’s sales – $1,100,700 – after collecting the money from a fuel purchaser.
In March 2017, arsonists torched a car belonging to the company at its Main and Pope Street outlet while in July 2015, two bandits went into the attached supermarket and took money, phone cards and a licensed firearm.
In October of the same year, bandits broke into M Ali Supermarket and Gas Station at Strand and after taking what they wanted, set the building on fire.
In 2016, a female employee of the business was found guilty of stealing in excess of $1 million in cash and jewellery from the company. She was sentenced to one year in prison and also fined $500,000. (G4)