Two bandits launched a “channa bomb” attack on a Nismes, West Bank Demerara Gas Station early yesterday morning carting off just over $17, 500 cash.

According to a police press release, the J&R Service Station, Nismes, was robbed by two armed men.
Investigations, the police stated, have revealed that pump attendant Niron Churuman was on duty, when he was confronted by the two men who held him up and took away $10,000 and US$50 which he had in his possession.

The men then tried to gain entry into the building that houses the vehicle spare parts section and after failing, one of them lit two Molotov cocktails (locally called channa bombs) and threw them into the building through a glass door, after which they escaped in a waiting motor vehicle.

Further the police reported that one of the Molotov cocktails exploded, but was quickly extinguished by the pump attendant with a fire extinguisher before any damage could have been caused.

“Meh ah get rob here steady. Less than two months and dem done knock me three times…them ah stress me out,” Jai Kishan Naipal, owner of the J&R Service Station, said.

When Stabroek News visited the service station just after 12.30 yesterday afternoon Naipal explained that the robbery occurred at approximately 1.30 that morning. Two of Naipal’s employees; an unarmed security guard and the pump attendant Churaman, were on duty at the time.

The station owner said that his employees related that they were sitting outside watching television around the stated time when two men approached them.

Both employees handed over the cash they had on them which amounted to $17,500, Naipal reported. The bandits then proceeded to the side door of the service station’s store and threw two home made bombs into the building in attempt to break open the iron gate barring their entry.

At the scene yesterday the damage done by the bombs was still apparent and Naipal said that the police had already visited the scene. Further, he explained that it was not the first time that he has been robbed.
The bombs, according to Naipal, were made from “small green lemonade bottles”.

The distressed businessman told Stabroek News that early last Saturday morning the gas station was also “channa bombed”.

“…’bout 5.30am Saturday morning somebody pelt two of dem channa bombs at the pump attendants. Is steady steady we getting robbed,” he stated. “Look just de other day two of them come in the store and thief, they in jail right now.”

Naipal said that all the matters have been reported to the police and they are “trying their best”. The bandits, he explained, time the police patrols and attack when it is least expected.