The police are currently on the hunt for five suspects in connection with Tuesday morning’s robbery at the popular White Shop grocery store at La Parfait Harmonie, West Bank Demerara.
Contacted for an update yesterday afternoon, Commander of ‘D’ Division Leslie James told Stabroek News that no arrest has yet been made.
The robbery occurred around 9.30 on Tuesday morning when armed bandits, posing as customers, carted off $400,000 in cash, jewellery and other items.
During their escape, Suraj Narine, one of the owner’s sons, was shot to his right foot.
After the robbery, the bandits stuck-up a man identified as Gary Halley, 47, and stole his car, which they used to escape. The car, PWW 1516, was later found abandoned in the area. Halley was also robbed of $20,000 and two cell phones.
This newspaper had previously reported that the grocery store is located in front of the home of owner Thajurdatt Narine, who was held at gunpoint along with his son, Narendra Narine, as the men demanded cash and other valuables.
Narendra had related that he was in front of the yard packing up vegetables when the three bandits showed up and asked to purchase three pounds of plantains. He said that as he turned to weigh the plantains, one of the bandits whipped out a gun and pointed it at him. At this time, his mother was in the yard and his father was in the garden. He said she managed to keep herself hidden behind a wall, while the gunmen held his father at gunpoint.
He said while two of the bandits held them, the third stood outside the premises and kept watch.
The bandits gun-butted Narendra and his father and demanded cash and other valuables as they ransacked the house. “I did wearing some rings. He tek that off and after they tumble up the cabinet and so and they get the money they run outside and we go after them and start pelt glass bottle but they keep firing shots one after the other,” he had explained.
For most of the ordeal, Suraj was asleep in the upper flat of the house. He was awakened by the sounds of gunshots and joined his father and brother as they pursued the bandits. He was shot as the men fired at them to force them to abandon their pursuit.
