Joint patrols between the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Defence Force along the East Coast Demerara and East Bank Demerara began on Friday, following a rash of armed robberies, including one that left a Mahaica man dead.

‘C’ Division Commander Gavin Primo told Stabroek News yesterday that police ranks on the East Coast have received assistance from police headquarters, Eve Leary and the Mahaica area is being patrolled. Since the murder of Mahaica resident Lakeram Bishundial, 55, called ‘Mohan’ during a robbery on Friday, there have been several raids, he added.

Commenting on the robbery, which occurred at Hope, East Coast Demerara, Primo said that three suspects are in custody. Yesterday morning, a relative told Stabroek News that the investigators were at the residence and that the dead man’s brother, Totaram, still was not in a position to speak.

Police on Friday said the robbery occurred about 3.15pm as Lakeram was driving his motor lorry GGG 8273 along the roadway. He observed his brother, Totaram, in his motor pick-up vehicle. The two brothers stopped their vehicles and were talking on the road when two men rode up on a motor cycle. The pillion rider, who was armed with a handgun, got off from the motor cycle and approached the two brothers and discharged rounds at Lakeram, hitting him to his abdomen.

The armed man then grabbed a bag containing an undisclosed sum of cash from the pick-up and escaped along with his accomplice on the motor cycle. Lakeram was taken to a private hospital in Georgetown where he succumbed to his injuries.

Police added that diligent investigations and quick action resulted in the motor cycle, identified as being used in the robbery, being recovered at Victoria, East Coast Demerara. Further, investigations led to the driver of the motor cycle being apprehended in an abandoned house in Victoria.

Two other suspects have also been arrested and the men are in police custody, assisting with the investigations.

The motor cycle has been identified as belonging to a local private company with whom the driver is employed. “The quick police response to this incident and the resulting interception of the motor cycle used in the robbery and arrest of the driver follows on the heels of the interception by the police of a motor car and arrest of a suspect following an armed robbery on the Prairie Hotel at Coverden, EBD, and the interception of a motor vehicle and arrest of three suspects and recovery of an unlicensed .38 revolver with four rounds following an armed robbery on the SAJ Rice Mill Inc. at Burma, Mahaicony, both of which occurred yesterday (Thursday),” the police said in a statement issued late Friday night. The police also noted the commencement of joint police/army patrols along the East Coast and East Bank of Demerara.

Around 2.30am Monday, a gang of at least seven bandits armed with guns and cutlasses terrorised a Unity Mahaica family, during an almost hour long attack.

The gang fled with $800,000 and a small quantity of jewellery. During the incident businessman Raajdeo Tahjpaul was shot twice and his wife Sumintra Hemwant was badly beaten.

While, none of the perpetrators have been captured, police said that they are following several clues.

The robbery at the Rice Mill occurred around 7pm and the armed bandits after tying up the guard on duty escaped with a canister containing an undisclosed amount of cash.