Three armed men who brazenly stormed the R. Maye Hardware Guyana Inc at Providence, East Bank Demerara on Sunday reportedly carted off millions in cash and other items.
Reportedly at about 09:30h on Sunday, the three armed men entered the store and held the security guard and a sales representative at gunpoint.
They then proceeded to bind and gag their two male victims before focusing their attention on the company’s vault. It is unclear how the men were able to broach the vault, but Guyana Times International understands that in excess of G$15 million was taken.
Besides the money, the armed men relieved the security guard and the sales representative of their mobile phones and a quantity of cash.
This newspaper was told that this is not the first time this business has been robbed. Owned by a Trinidadian, the business was opened in 2013.
A Police source told this newspaper that the robbery was reported moments after its occurrence, and a team of Police ranks was immediately deployed to the area. However, due to the geography of the terrain, by the time the team arrived, the men had already escaped.
“There are several roads that can lead you out from where the robbery occurred… one can lead you to Eccles, another can lead you to Mocha; and there are many cross streets which the bandits can use to escape,” the source explained.
Nevertheless, he noted that CCTV footage is being reviewed, and the scene has been dusted for fingerprints as investigations continue.
The business owner, currently in his native country, was contacted moments after the perpetrators had escaped. He has expressed dissatisfaction with the manner in which the Police have handled the previous robbery. Sunday’s robbery, he added, has deterred him from expanding his business, although the idea was being mulled. (Bhisham Mohamed)
