An 87-year-old father of Lichfield, West Coast Berbice was terrorized and robbed around 3 am yesterday by three bandits who stole about $1.5M in cash, jewellery and cellular phones.
William Semple called ‘Big Man’ told Stabroek News that the bandits used a knife to cut open his mosquito net. They then placed a gun in his mouth while demanding the money and jewellery.
He injured his throat in the process and yesterday he was unable to eat the food his children prepared for him for Father’s Day and instead had to settle for porridge. Sadly, he told this newspaper that it was a “bad Father’s Day” for him.
They entered the house through a window at the back which they accessed by climbing on to a table built-up with a drum and a bench.
They also disconnected the telephone upon entering.
Semple told the bandits he did not have anything but they ordered him to hand over the key to a safe that was in his bedroom.
He complied and while two of the bandits were opening the safe the other bound his hands and feet with duct tape. They removed $400,000 cash from the safe along with two gold bangles valued $800,000.
They had already entered the bedroom of his son, William Jr. and gun-butted him in the mouth causing him to lose a tooth. They bound him with the tape before climbing over to his father’s room.
The older Semple said he was awakened to a “tearing” sound as the thieves were binding his son.
As he hollered and begged the bandits not to harm him, his grandson, Osapha Sorzano, 18, and two females, Shenica Carmichael, 17, and a 22-year-old who were also sleeping in the house got up to investigate.
Sorzano told this newspaper the bandits “collar me and pull off a big gold chain from my neck” valued $160,000. They also took away his Blackberry phone worth $43,000. They told him to sit or they “would blow my head.”
Carmichael said she feared for her life when she saw the bandits but they ordered her to sit and told her they “would not do me anything.”
She said they covered her face as well as the other woman’s and Sorzano’s and proceeded to bind them with the tape as well.
Reports are that the bandits escaped in a car. Sorzano said he had gotten up around 2 am and had seen a strange white car parked two houses away.
A neighbour said after the bandits left and the occupants managed to free themselves around 3:45 am they called out to him to tell him they had been robbed.
He telephoned the Weldaad Police Station and the rank took his number and promised to call him back. Shortly after, the station called to say that the Impact patrol from Fort Wellington would visit.
He said they waited until 5:45 am but no police came and they then went to Fort Wellington to bring the ranks to the scene.
Meanwhile, Semple was thankful that his four-year-old grandson slept through the entire ordeal.
