A 27-year-old businessman was on Sunday night held at gunpoint and robbed of his motorcar as he was about to enter his Westminster, West Bank Demerara premises.
The attack occurred around 10 pm during which Rajesh Lilman of Lot 4290 Block X, Westminster, WBD was relieved of his Toyota Allion motorcar, PVV 8590 valued $3M.
According to reports reaching Stabroek News, Lilman had just returned home and opened the gate to park his car in the yard. Upon returning to the vehicle, he was accosted by two bandits, one of whom was armed with a handgun.
The men held him at gunpoint and relieved him of his car keys before escaping. An investigation has been launched and several persons were questioned but the police have not yet apprehended the perpetrators.
In recent times, there has been a rise in hijacking cases with around one every day.
The Guyana Police Force had previously warned the public, specifically taxi drivers operating the Toyota Allion and Toyota Premio models, to be on the alert for potential hijackers.
The mode of committing the crime, the police have observed, is for persons to hire cabs around Georgetown for destinations such as North Ruimveldt, Georgetown; Atlantic Ville, East Coast Demerara; Providence, East Bank Demerara; and West Demerara and rob the drivers of their personal belongings and their taxis upon arrival at the requested destination.
Crime Chief (Acting) Paul Williams had previously disclosed that the Guyana Police Force has embarked on an operation to target carjackers and will zoom in on body workshops since they are suspected to be the buyers of stolen vehicles parts.
Williams had also notaed thaat the police force has collaborated with several other agencies and the owners will now have to meet certain requirements before they can operate the workshops.
“What we have recognised too is that the cars that are being hijacked or stolen now are the cars that find themselves outside of the GRA (Guyana Revenue Authority) stipulated requirement ”, he had said. As such, Williams noted that it has been observed that offenders targeted cars that are no longer imported in the country and stripped them to parts which they sell.
