Bandits broke into the Aubrey’s Grocery Store at Bush Lot, West Berbice after midnight yesterday and were in the process of carting off over $500,000 worth in items when vigilant residents caused their activity to be thwarted.

Narinedath Khemraj showing some of the items that were recovered

The residents contacted the Fort Wellington Police Station and the police responded promptly and were able to recover most of the items which included groceries, toiletries and alcoholic beverages in an abandoned rice mill nearby.

The bandits also stole a bicycle from the bond and used it to transport most of the items. A neighbour arrived at the same time and the men dropped some of the items and escaped.

Owner of the store, Narinedath “Aubrey” Khemraj who also operates an off-licence take away business told Stabroek News that he was at home when he received a call around 12:35 am about the robbery.

He said he, along with his son left immediately for the scene and found that the door to his bond was “wide open.” Boxes containing Evaporated milk, soap, peanut butter, tuna, cigarettes, juices and vodka, among other items were left outside the bond.

The man also noticed empty juice and milk cans and cigarette butts scattered in the yard and figured that the men had enough time to treat themselves. He said he was about to go to the station to make a report when he noticed the “police van pulling up.”

At the same time he said he saw when about three men ran through a resident’s yard opposite his shop and escaped. He said some of the officers remained to take statements and fingerprints while others conducted searches around the village.

Khemraj was grateful to the police for recovering the items and also complimented them for their prompt response. He said the bandits gained entry to his bond by using an iron bar to wrench open the lock.

They also attempted to break open a shoe store next door but apparently gave up after they could not manage to the lock. The bandits also tried to break into Cybernetix, a game shop close to the rice mill where the stolen items were recovered, but residents were alerted to the loud pounding and raised an alarm.

Meanwhile residents told this newspaper that “a gang of junkie would normally hang out in the rice mill and smoke almost every night. We think that the police should look out for them…”