Close to $2M in cash, outboard engines and equipment were
yesterday stolen when five armed bandits operating from the Essequibo River broke
locks and raided the Parika Fish Port
Complex.
The robbers believed to be the same gang which terrorised a
Lanaballi family on
August 1 escaped in a speed boat in the direction of Hog
Island in the Essequibo River.
Bandits raid Corentyne fishermen,
seize engines
Police from Parika carried out searches at Hog Island and
other parts along the river but up to press time no one had
been arrested.
The fish complex, located a few metres away from the Parika
Stelling, is being run by the Parika Co-op Society.
Chairman of the complex, Azeem
Khan, shows what was
left.
Chairman of the society Azeem
Khan told Stabroek News that, around 1:30
yesterday morning the bandits attacked two security guards and
bound them with duct tape before cutting off the locks on the
building.
Khan related that the guards said they were at different
posts when the men arrived at the wharf on a speed boat. Three
of them entered the compound using a bridge which leads from
the stelling to the complex. Once in the compound the three
men walked past the guard as if they were just passing
through. They did not go very far when one of them turned back
and whipped out a handgun. By this time his two colleagues
turned back also and the three confronted the guards and began
asking them for money.
Stabroek News was told that the guards pleaded with the
robbers saying that they did not have any money but while
doing so two others joined the three and they also began
terrorising the guards.
Guns were placed at the guards' heads and then they were
bound and blindfolded with duct tape. Khan said the bandits
then cut off all the locks on the complex.
Inside the building, they ransacked the drawers carting off
some $200,000 in cash. Khan said the money comprised earnings
from Sunday's market day at Parika. He said usually they would
credit some of their goods and the money earned on Sunday was
kept there to pay off suppliers early the next day. The
bandits left around $1500. They also raided a store room from
where they carried away several pieces of speed boat
equipment, one gas pump, four gas bottles and a chainsaw.
Members of the society usually store their boat engines,
seines and other equipment in special lockers at the complex.
The bandits cut off the locks of those lockers and carried
away three 48 Horse Power Yamaha engines. Khan said one of the
engines cost $685,000. The robbers also stole a cordless
phone, groceries and other articles.
When Stabroek News visited
the complex yesterday police had already taken statements from
the guards and were out checking for the suspects at Hog
Island.
The fishing port has been in operation since 1991 and up to
yesterday it had never suffered a major robbery.
Khan said more than 30 fishermen have shares in the
complex.
He said while it was the first time the complex was robbed,
members of the society from time to time have had their boats
stripped of their engines. Police sources in the area said
they have received information that the men are from Hog
Island. A team of policemen and fishermen went into the area
but did not find any trace of the bandits.
Five bandits on Emancipation Day carried out a similar
attack at Scott's Fuel Station, owned by Looknarine Singh of Lanaballi, on the
Essequibo River, The bandits on that occasion carted off over
$1M and escaped with Singh's 75 HP engine speed boat. Police
had made a few checks for the bandits in that matter but came
up empty
handed.