Gunmen invaded De Velde Village in the Berbice River on Wednesday night and robbed two families of an undisclosed amount of cash and other items, and the victims are concerned over the slothful response by divisional police.
“I want to register my concern because it was no ordinary robbery scene. Gunshots firing and nobody could have done anything to help. We called the police and report since last night [Wednesday night] and they said they coming tomorrow [today]. What is that? What are we supposed to do if these men return?” a traumatised Kenrick Lindie asked in wake of the attack, which left his daughter-in-law wounded.
He further questioned why the police would take their time to respond to an attack of such a nature. “New Amsterdam Police Station is just two and half hours away. They could have come here today [Thursday] but they are not here. Spent shells are all over the place and we can’t do thing until the police come,” Lindie further said.
Deputy Commander of ‘B’ Division Edmond Cooper told Stabroek News yesterday that the police are scheduled to visit the crime scene today and begin an investigation.
According to Cooper, they were unable to journey to the village yesterday [Thursday] after receiving the report as they had to make the necessary arrangements for travel. He said that they have arranged for a boat to transport him and party of policemen to the village today.
Stabroek News learnt that around 8.30 pm on Wednesday, six men, armed with guns, attacked two homes owned by Lindie and his son Reyon Lindie. During the attack, the gunmen went on a shooting spree after Kenrick sounded an alarm to alert his neighbours to the presence of the men.
The still traumatised Kenrick yesterday told this publication that he was reading his Bible in the bottom flat of his home when he noticed a man approaching him.
“I see this person coming towards me with a weapon. So, I say, ‘Shoot me, man.’ I think it was a joke but then I realise it was a real gun when he come closer but I still tell he shoot me,” he recounted before adding that a second man then started approaching with a crowbar in his hand. Both men, he noted, were masked.
Kenrick explained that as the men approached him, he slowly stepped backwards. He said as they spoke among themselves they turned away from him and he used the opportunity to run. “When they turn they back, I run and started shouting, calling out everyone in the village. They ran behind me but I had no other alternative than to run into the river for safety,” he explained.
The man further said that as neighbours became aware of the invasion and turned on torch lights to see what was unfolding outside their homes, the gunmen began to shoot wildly in a bid to scare them.
Throughout the attack, the men continue to fire shots. Kenrick said his daughter-in-law, Patrina Lindie, was wounded by a pellet, while the windows of his home were shattered.
“After I run away, the men went upstairs to my wife and ransacked the house and took away some things. But they dragged my wife out of the house and took her over to my son’s house, where they shoot up also,” he added.
He noted that the men tried to break down the door of his son’s house but they were unsuccessful. Based on his account, his son refused to open the door of his house to allow the men to enter but did hand over an undisclosed amount of cash to them. He pointed out that after the cash was handed over, the men went to his bond and stole a quantity of fuel and cash before escaping in a boat that was nearby.
Kenrick noted that the men left the boat to drift in the river and from all indications boarded their own boat, which was parked some distance away.
Additionally, Kenrick said daylight yesterday revealed a number of spent shells throughout the area and items, including boots and slippers, which were left behind.
