Four masked bandits de-scended on a liquor restaurant at Success, East Cast Demerara on Wednesday night and escaped with two licensed firearms, ammunition, cash and other articles.
They turned off lights and turned up the music to conceal their attack.
During the ordeal which lasted between 10 to 15 minutes persons were ordered to lie on the floor and the owner of the premises, Eirshad Ali was gun butted before the gunmen took him upstairs and tumbled his home. Other persons were also assaulted.
Acting on information received, the police have arrested a man and detained his motor vehicle. He is in custody assisting with the investigations.
Police said in a press release that investigations have revealed that the businessman, along with his wife Mohanie, son-in-law Isaac Sarjoo and a patron Dindial Lakhan of Success were in the Restaurant and Bar when the men entered and held them at gunpoint.
The men then took away two licensed .32 pistols and a quantity of ammunition, an undisclosed sum of cash, gold jewellery and a cell phone from the victims and escaped. During the incident the victims were struck about their bodies with firearms.
When Stabroek News arrived at the Sixth Street, Success location, the business was closed and several relatives and friends had gathered to offer their support.
A plain clothes rank was also there taking statements. Ali who received treatment at the Georgetown Hospital was also there and there were two visible wounds on his head.
Recounting the terrifying ordeal, Ali’s wife, Mohanie told this newspaper that she, her husband, son-in-law and others were held up by four men armed with guns and ordered to lie on the floor.
She said that one gunman held up her son-in-law and a man who were sitting outside and ordered them inside before locking the gates.
The woman said that she was packing up goods when two of the men entered. She said that one had a big gun and the other a hand gun.
The men, she said, instructed her husband to show them the main switch and once shown they proceeded to turn off the lights in the restaurant and increase the volume of the music.
According to Mohanie, Ali was beaten in the shop with a gun and was bleeding from his wounds.
After opening the door that led to the upper flat the bandits took him upstairs where they grabbed some $130, 000 in cash and jewellery before escaping. Her son-in-law, she said, was beaten by the gunmen.
The woman stated that they would close up between 10:30 and 11 o’clock every night and this is their first armed robbery in the 13 years they have been in business. They were however victims of a burglary. “This is a shock. I really feel that is because of God that we still alive”.
The fear still evident on her face, she said that after the men entered they could not scream and neighbours would not have heard anything because the music was too loud.
The woman said that she was so traumatized that she cried and was unaware of her husband’s condition until the men had left.
The police came in for high praise from Mohanie who said that ranks from the Sparendaam Police Station arrived within 15 minutes but by then the men were nowhere in sight.
