Residents and businesspersons in the Thomas and New Market streets area are calling on the Guyana Police Force to up their game plan in response to the recent spate of robberies there.
They are asking the police to place an outpost in that location as they are concerned for their safety. A video shared on social media of a man being attacked on Monday by two bandits after he tried to save a woman from being robbed, has alarmed business operators. A businessperson, who asked not to be named, explained during an interview with Stabroek News, that she heard screams about three minutes after going into her place of work. The woman said that she immediately checked her surveillance camera which showed that someone was being robbed. To secure herself she quickly locked the doors to the building.
Another woman, also present at the business reinforced the need to have police patrolling in the area. She explained that while persons around the area may witness a robbery unfolding, individuals have become too afraid to intervene. The atmosphere has now become one of fear since this is the second robbery in recent days, and not so long ago, a murder occurred in that immediate area.( Bharrat Dass, 43, of Lot 242 Forshaw Street, Georgetown, was attacked around 10 pm on November 5th, 2020 at Medi-Care Pharmacy on New Market Street. The injured man was later discovered by one of his sons during an impromptu visit, however, he succumbed to his injuries). Another businessman, who also asked to remain anonymous stated that his main concern is security.
He explained that the situation is now out of control and completely “out of hand” where it has gotten to the point that it not only affects the elderly, young people are not able to walk freely on the streets as well, he added. He contended that the police are not conducting sufficient investigations.
The man stated that he is unable to operate his business after 7 pm since it is unsafe to do so. He noted that there are motorcycles traversing the area without number plates and said that the robbers are using that mode of transportation to carry out attacks. On Monday, when the robbery took place, the man recalled the victim running into his place of business followed by other customers who were outside purchasing items. He added that the victim and the woman being attacked in the video were known to each other.
He believed that in the man’s attempt to save the victim, he held on to her bag causing a tug between himself and the suspects who then started attacking him. He said where the incident took place is a known spot for robberies. He added that upon further investigation, the two suspects were returning to rob another victim but one accomplice called out to the other “let’s go, let’s go”, causing them to leave. The man stated that no number plate was seen on the motorcycle used in the robbery and described it as a norm for the bikes that circle the area.
Concerned individuals in the area have expressed the need to have better security especially at nights since it is even scarier after 7 pm. The area seems to be targeted due to the heavy traffic of persons in the vicinity. Additionally, a woman told this newspaper that while there is a police outpost in the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) compound the service does not reach the surrounding environment. She added that nurses are often victims of robbery, and even the floodlights installed by the hospital are not helpful.
In the video circulating on social media, two men who were with a group of cyclists stopped and headed in the direction of a pedestrian before turning around and attacking a man who tried to intervene. A nurse could be seen trying to avoid the ordeal as she quickly crossed the street. Another woman coming in the same direction from which the man was being attacked by his assailants, was seen making an about turn after witnessing the incident.
The video showed one of the attackers with what looked like a handbag in his hand as they continued their attack on the man. They later made their escape. According to the video footage, the incident took place on Monday. (Readawne Henery)
