Four held, M15 rifle found after nightclub hold-up

Four persons were arrested by police after gunmen raided the Hollywood Bollywood Night Club on Lamaha Street, Newtown, Kitty on Monday night and an M15 rifle was also recovered.

According to police, the robbery occurred at about 10pm on Monday, when Irene Gooding, owner of the Hollywood Bollywood Night Club, was held up on the premises along with four of her employees by six men, all armed with guns. Gooding declined to comment when contacted by Stabroek News.

The weapons and ammunition recovered by the police (Police photo)

The group was robbed of cash, jewellery and four cell phones, police said in a press release. During the robbery, a report was made to the police, whose quick response scared the perpetrators, who then “scattered in different directions.” They were pursued by the police and four persons were subsequently held.

The area surrounding the Night Club was searched and an M15 rifle with two magazines and 38 rounds of 5.56 calibre ammunition, an air pistol, a camouflage cap and two cell phones were found by the police.

The two cell phones, police said, have been identified by two of the victims of the robbery as their property.

The police also found a car, with registration number HB 8692, parked in the vicinity of the Night Club with the engine running, which was suspected to have been used by the gunmen.

The Hollywood Bollywood club that was raided by gunmen on Monday night.

The police said that subsequent investigations revealed that the car’s correct registration number was PJJ 1072 and that it had been stolen earlier in the night from taxi driver Kevin Higgins, 29, of George Street, Georgetown.

Higgins told police he was hired by three men at Norton Street to be taken to Sophia, where he was held up by one of the men, who was armed with an ice-pick.

The men then took away his jewellery, cell phone and the car and drove away. The car was searched and a .32 round was found inside.

The four men in police custody are assisting with the investigations, police said.