Police said
Sookhoo Bhertri, a pensioner, was shot by
one of three masked men as he sat in a hammock under his house at
Toopoo, Albion at around 19:30 hrs.
The gunmen also
escaped with a cellular phone and a quantity of jewellery valued at
$242,000.
A source told
Kaieteur News last night that two “notorious” men, suspected to be
connected with the robberies, have since been held.
According to
reports, Bhertri, his wife and four other persons were in the bottom
flat chatting when three men, who were armed with handguns, rushed
into the premises, discharging several rounds in the
process.
Kaieteur News
understands that one of the men walked up to the pensioner and shot
him in the upper leg.
Sources said
that the bandits beat two males who were among the group with a
metal pipe, before fleeing on foot with jewellery that they had
stripped from their victims.
The injured
pensioner was treated at the Port Mourant Hospital and sent
away.
Four .32 spent
shells were recovered at the scene.
Detectives
believe that the gunmen were masked because they came from the
area.
They suspect the
same gang hijacked a taxi, HB493, belonging to a rural constable, 30
minutes after the attack at Albion.
Kennard Sampson,
a 33-year-old taxi driver of West Canje, was at the Berbice car park
at around 21:00hrs when two men hired him to take them to
Edinburgh.
On arrival, one
of the passengers in the back seat placed a gun to Sampson's head
and ordered him to stop.
A third man, who
reportedly had a bag and a handgun, then entered the
vehicle.
After tying and
gagging the driver, the gunmen relieved him of articles valued
$41,000 then locked him in his car trunk.
However, the
vehicle reportedly developed mechanical trouble, and the men were
forced to abandon it. They reportedly fled in another
car.
The driver
eventually freed himself and reported the matter to the
police.
At 04:00hrs
yesterday, 38 year old taxi driver Derick
Singh and his wife were leaving their Port Mourant home for
the market, when they were confronted by three masked men. One of
the men reportedly had a shotgun, while the others had
handguns.
The gunmen
discharged a round and demanded that the couple hand over their cash
and jewellery.
One of the
bandits struck Singh on the forehead, causing him to lose
consciousness.
They took
$20,000 from his pocket and two gold rings, valued at $20,000 from
his wife.
Meanwhile, the
couple's children, who were in the house, heard the shot and locked
themselves in.
However, the men
took Singh's wife to the house, discharged another round and forced
open the door.
On entering the
house, they broke open a wardrobe and removed $50,000 in jewellery.
They eventually found the victims' daughters and took two rings
valued $20,000 from them, before escaping.
Singh was taken
to hospital for observation.
Two suspects
were subsequently held.
