Suspect in break-in, theft at Home Affairs Ministry arrested

Hours after someone broke into the Home Affairs Ministry and escaped with a number of valuable items, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) said it has apprehended the suspect. On Monday, the Ministry confirmed that at approximately 04:00h, an individual unlawfully entered its building on Brickdam, Georgetown.

The Ministry said security personnel detected the intruder via CCTV cameras and immediately raised an alarm. The Ministry said a security officer pursued the individual but was unsuccessful in apprehending him. Nevertheless, it said the Police Force was promptly notified and an investigation was launched without delay. In a subsequent statement from the GPF, it noted that several electronic devices, including laptop computers, electronic tablets and digital cameras along with a quantity of personal property belonging to a staff member were reported stolen from the building. Police said its investigations revealed that sections of the Ministry’s middle and lower flats were ransacked and that an eastern-side washroom window on the lower flat was found open, indicating the point through which entry was believed to have been gained. Police further noted that CCTV footage was obtained and reviewed, leading to the subsequent arrest of a 48-year-old male, along with several items that were recovered.
In a statement several days ago in response to a report of a security breach at a Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) building, the Ministry had expressed that it “remains committed to maintaining the highest standards of security at all its agencies.”