One bandit a member of ‘Fineman’ gang, say police
One of captured bandits who committed the daring daylight robbery on a GEB security vehicle on Thursday during which a $17.2M GuySuCo payroll was stolen, has been identified as a member of the Rondell ‘Fineman’ Rawlins gang and linked to the February 17 Bartica massacre, the police said yesterday.
Meanwhile as investigations continue into the heist, three shotguns including the two stolen from GEB security guards were recovered at the Nismes riverside, West Bank Demerara (WBD) on Friday.
One of the weapons that was recovered during the armed confrontation at Goed Fortuin during which Leon Dundas was shot dead, belongs to a cambio dealer who was the victim of an armed robbery last year.
The three shotguns and ammunition that were recovered at the Nismes riverside on Friday. (Police photo).
Police disclosed in a statement yesterday that during their investigations into the armed robbery of the payroll at Stanleytown, WBD, ranks recovered three 12-gauge shotguns along with sixteen (16) matching cartridges at the riverside at Nismes.
Two of them have been confirmed as being those stolen from the GEB security guards during the robbery.
The release further said that the 9mm Glock pistol recovered by the police during the armed confrontation with four of the perpetrators at ‘Old Road’ Goed Fortuin, had been identified as belonging to cambio dealer Roy Sarjoo.
Roy Sarjoo was attacked and robbed of a quantity of cash and his firearm by armed gunmen on October 24, 2007, in Subryanville, Georgetown.
In addition, one of the men arrested by the police had been identified as a member of the ‘Fineman Rawlins’ gang and is suspected of having been involved in the murders at Bartica, the release added.
The police yesterday did not disclose if they had captured all nine gunmen or provide any information on those in custody or the status of their investigations.
Several efforts to contact senior police officials yesterday to get additional information were unsuccessful.
Around 11.20 am on Thursday, the police responded to a report that some fifteen minutes earlier a GEB private security cash escort vehicle had been ambushed and robbed at Stanleytown.
A gang of men reportedly numbering nine, four of whom had firearms, held up the driver and three armed security guards who were escorting a locked canister with $17.2M in cash to the Wales Estate, in the vicinity of the Stanleytown bridge. The bandits then took away the locked canister with the cash along with two shotguns and a .38 revolver and ammunition from the security guards and escaped using the GEB vehicle and a car which they had used to block the road.
Ranks from West Demerara set up roadblocks and began an immediate operation to locate the perpetrators. Subsequently additional resources were made available from the Police Marine Section, the Joint Special Operations Group and the Guyana Defence Force, whose helicopter joined the search.
The teams spread out at key points and cordoned off sections of West Demerara, including the Demerara Harbour Bridge, impeding the movement of the bandits. The GEB security vehicle was later found abandoned at Nismes.
Subsequently a police team encountered two of the bandits on the foreshore at Nismes, who opened fire on the ranks, and during an exchange one of the bandits who was later identified as Eric Williams of Fyrish, Corentyne, was fatally wounded while the other man managed to escape. An unlicensed .32 pistol with twelve matching rounds was recovered by the police along with a boat and an engine.
Williams is no stranger to the police. Over the years he had been linked to several crimes, and he served five years in jail for rape and armed robbery. At the time of his death he had a robbery under arms case before the court, and had recently been released by the Magistrate on bail.
The teams remained in ambush while teams from Georgetown were mobilized and arrests were made on the East Bank of Demerara and at the Demerara Harbour Bridge.
The man who had escaped during the armed confrontation at the Nismes foreshore was later arrested in the Nismes area.
While patrolling on Thursday night, a team of police ranks encountered a motor vehicle at Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara, with two men inside, who upon being questioned were suspected of being involved in assisting the perpetrators to get away; they were then arrested.
At about 1.15 am on Friday the police confronted a group of four men along the ‘Old Road’ at Goed Fortuin. During an exchange of gunfire Leon Dundas of Punt Trench Dam, Albouystown, was killed; the other three men were arrested.
The police also recovered the canister with the payroll; the .38 Smith and Wesson revolver and the six rounds that had been taken away from the GEB security guards, along with a .32 Taurus pistol with two magazines and twenty-one rounds; a 9mm Glock pistol with two magazines and thirty-one rounds; and two .38 Taurus revolvers with ten matching rounds.
During interviews members of the gang confessed to a number of robberies including the armed robbery committed on businessman Chetram called ‘Barry’ at Tuschen, EBE, on October 14.
Several police sources have told this newspaper that there is a bandit with gunshot wounds in hospital while the other four have been transferred to the city where they are being grilled. However, there has been no official confirmation from the police.
Congratulations to the JS for doing some weeding! Keep it up.
But who will go down to the roots and seeds and socio-politico-economic soil that continuously breed the weeds?
But who will go down to the roots and seeds and socio-politico-economic soil that continuously breed the weeds?
Thats just for a few…no more than 500…………who take their Q from their political masters…..
Criminals choose a life of crime, they choose not to do an honest days work,so you can save that social scientific mumbo jumbo for the far flung shore where you live.
Hackett,lets hope that this will discourage those bandits that are still out there,and those who are thinking that a life of crime pays…..lets hope that this is a turning point,and that we will once again have a respected police force,because I think that is the key,if they know that the police will hunt them down until they are found,things will change!!!
Since you left Guyana you start to think differently boy. Are you justifying these bandit/thieves lifestyle, blaming it on Guyana’s “socio-politico-economic” state? Then what explanation do you have for the runaway crime situation in Trinidad, which has a much healtier “socio-politico-economic” standard than Guyana. I personally know one of these ’scum-bags’. He was from a decent socalled middle class family who were regular church goers. He chose a life of crime. I had cause to caution him many times at the request of his mother. I know what she is going through right now. My heart goes out to her. This socio-politico-economic thing is a weapon that politicians use to attack their opponents. Don,t fall for it, you are much smarter.
This breeding of the weeds you mention is a very important subject Hackett.
From the time I read the initial reports of the style of this robbery, I saw clear ‘Fineman style’ parallels with the current attack. That no AK47s were used is a really curious and great thing!
I am so pleased that the JS have found some of the culprits because these weeds as you so thoughtfully put it, they bear the bitter fruits like the psychopathic massacres at Lusignan and Bartica.
The day this is all ‘nipped in the bud’ will not be a day too soon.
God bless our brave police and soldiers.
Once again we see how inept the judiciary is.
Eric Williams of Fyrish, was being tried for robbery under arms and yet this habitual violent criminal was released by the Magistrate ON BAIL!!! …. to continue his vile lifestyle of robbery with violence.
I feel so sorry about this insult to the Joint Forces.
An insult perpetuated between the criminals and the sick British Colonial legal system in Guyana.
In case anyone missed the news today, Indonesia executed three violent criminals/terrorists BY FIRING SQUAD.
I was thinking like that all the time, sir. If you take the time to read all the letters I wrote to the newspapers since 1988. And my absence is only temporary. Me nabel string bury a RHT.
JS::::Great job…..lots more to do..more to be caught..dead or alive…..dont stop now…..
Great job well done,keep the pressure on in every area. Your training by the British is finaly paying off. All we have to do now is get rid of the crowked cops, and you’ll be a very efficient GPF, then we can all come to Guyana and feel safe, once again GOOD JOB well done
de British get a lil problem called Menezes back home…
congratulations & keep up the pace joint service conquer the rest of them .
Hand that one over to the roughing up team , there is no symphaty for the monster too heartless.
good job well done by the D divison police
I like the fact that the GPF responded quickly and effeciently. and as a result were very sucessful in making arrests so they will be able to get information and probably make more arrests.
Good work
Please! please! Photo! photo! all would like to see what those criminals look like.
Hunt down the remaining!
Don’t stop till you get enough, keep on.
The one linked to the Bartica massacre, have to be isolated/pressured, to tell of the others criminals who were part of that gang.
A good cache of Firearms taken off the road, Christmas might be a bit safer, because of those Pests that are Eliminated and others jailed.
Once again Congrats!!! to the Millitars that made this Operation a Success!!
with you Arnold,these criminals photos needed to show all over, no bail please,one was out on bail which was very good for the country,he loose his life. Big Up The Joint Service Force. Good Work.
Arnold if it is our neighbaaaa,that would be good coz we will know who we are living around, i am just tired of these bastards,
…. to hypothetise one going to the root ,, what be b the outcome of the disclosure ,, when they find who r the players in that field ,, ,, if just out of curiousity ,, cos ,, i’m sure those in authority who may seek to confirm ,, further ,,
already know ,, who most of the players r …….
don’t forget ,, it’s the isuue that u need to dissect or dessicate not me !….. i was simply ask to tell ,, and that’s what i’m doing ,,
thank u very much for gnikniht,,,,,
urite
until those in authority who know
really exercise their authority down to the roots
the weeds will continue to sping up
GREAT JOB
PLEASE GET INFORMATION