Bandits snatched 1.5M in cash and cell phone cards from Persaud & Sons General Store at Belvedere, Corentyne around 7:30 pm on Wednesday after holding the staff hostage and escaped by foot with their booty.

Owner of the store, Balram Persaud told Stabroek News that the staff was on the verge of closing up when the three unmasked gunmen pounced on them. In the ordeal which lasted just over five minutes, they dragged the watchman into the shop and closed the door behind them.

Persaud said two of the bandits then threw the watchman on the floor, hurting his shoulder in the process and ordered the two customers who were there at the time to do the same.

They kept guard while their other accomplice – who carried a gun – jumped over the counter and “bundled my four staff and placed them to lie face down on the ground.”

The bandit pulled open the drawer with the money and then asked the other two to throw a black travelling bag which he used to stuff the money and the Guyana Telephone & Telegraph Company and Digicel phone cards into.

Still not satisfied, Persaud said the bandit placed the gun to one of his workers’ head and demanded more money. At this stage the terrified worker started to cry and she told him that was all the money that was available.

The businessman said that one of the customers attempted to argue with the men but they pointed the gun to him and told him to “get down…”

He was grateful that no one was hurt and said even though he was in the house just about 10 feet. away, he was not aware of what was transpiring.

He said though that if he had entered the shop while the men were there he would have confronted them and the situation could have been worse.

This is not the first time that he was robbed. Persaud said in 2002 bandits entered his shop and made off with over $500,000.