Four gun-toting bandits yesterday robbed an elderly jeweller of millions worth of jewellery and cash and severely beat him in a daring morning attack.
Owner of the Raj Jewellery, Raj Fashion and The Grill, located on Sheriff Street, Subryanville, Rudath Persaud is currently a patient at a private city hospital nursing wounds to his battered body and doctors were battling to save his sight.
Police are investigating the robbery and said in a press statement that it occurred at around 9:45 am. No one has yet been held.
The police said that investigations revealed that Persaud, 56, was in the store when four men armed with handguns entered and held him at gunpoint. “The perpetrators tied up the victim with duct tape, after which they took away his licensed .38 Taurus revolver and 6 rounds, a quantity of gold and diamond jewellery, $400,000, an undisclosed sum of US currency and a cell phone and escaped,” the police said. The statement added that during the incident, Persaud was assaulted about his body and was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was treated and sent away.
The newspaper was later informed yesterday that he was admitted to a private city hospital as he was badly beaten about his face.
Up to late yesterday, the police had not arrested anyone. When Stabroek News visited the business place yesterday afternoon no one was there.
However, a relative, who requested anonymity, told this newspaper that Persaud and his handyman were the only ones at home at the time of the robbery.
Further the relative said that the proprietor of the business opened his jewellery store and adjoining boutique, which had a massive sale on all items, at around 9 am. The bandits, who were immaculately dressed, entered the jewellery store, held Persaud at gunpoint, after securing the Security System Alarm button, and began raining blows, mostly in his face with the gun, as they demanded the jewellery.
”They were all dressed like businessmen. Neat, they were clean cut and would not give you the feeling that they were anything else than genuine customers” the relative said. Adding “ It seems as if they had been planning this robbery for some time now because they used the store sale as an excuse to gain entry without anyone being suspicious.”
The four emptied jewellery from all of the cases but apparently not satisfied, they took him upstairs to his home, ransacked his bedroom and took away cash and personal items they found valuable.
Stabroek News was told that the handyman was doing his duties at the time of the robbery and upon hearing groaning ventured to the front to investigate.
One of the bandits standing guard saw the handyman. It was the handyman who summoned assistance through the proprietor’s children and returned to the robbery scene. By this time, the police had been contacted and had arrived at the home. A source told this newspaper that the police were told that one of the bandits had visited the store a couple of months ago with a female to buy a diamond ring and may have been premeditating yesterday’s large heist.
Investigations are continuing.
