Police have arrested a 27-year-old food vendor and recovered $500,000 in cash, a motor car and a .32 revolver as investigations continue into the armed robbery of a 57-year-old Canje businessman and his family on Saturday night.
Police Headquarters reported that the suspect, a resident of Vryman’s Erven, New Amsterdam, Berbice, was arrested around 14:00 hrs on Sunday.
Police said the motor car is suspected to have been used during the robbery. A search of the vehicle led to the discovery of a .32 revolver containing two rounds of ammunition.
The firearm, ammunition, cash and motor car were lodged as investigations continue. The suspect remains in custody, while police are working to locate other persons suspected of being involved in the incident.
The robbery occurred around 19:30 hrs on Saturday, at the businessman’s premises at No. 2 Village, East Canje, Berbice.
The businessman, Jagnarine Persaud, known as “Balram,” said he was attending to business in the cashier area on the lower flat of the building when the men entered the establishment. His five-year-old son was in the yard, while several customers were also outside at the time.
According to Persaud, one of the men was armed with a handgun, while the other two carried a baseball bat and a cutlass.
The men allegedly demanded all the money he had before forcibly opening a drawer and removing cash from the day’s sales. They subsequently demanded more money, and when Persaud told them he had nothing else to give, one of the men threatened to kill him.
Fearing for his life, Persaud handed over the keys to another drawer containing a large sum of cash. The men reportedly collected the money before escaping in a waiting dark-grey car.
Persaud described the ordeal as traumatic for himself and his family, noting that the men repeatedly threatened to kill him.
Source: NEW ROOMS SITE
