Two youths who were arrested by police after they allegedly hijacked a car were yesterday charged with armed robbery.
Stephon Daphness, 24, of Lot 86 Hill Street, Charlestown, and Daniel McArthur, 19, of Lot 22 South Vryheid’s Lust, East Coast Demerara, were arraigned before Sparendaam Magistrate Rochelle Liverpool, who remanded them to prison until June 9.
It is alleged that on May 13, at Second Street, Cummings Lodge, East Coast Demerara, while in the company of each other and armed with a gun, they robbed Miles Burrowes of a Toyota Allion, bearing registration HD 1860, valued $3,200,000, and property of Sandra Bradley. They also allegedly took a cellphone and cash, amounting to a total of $90,000, that were the property of Burrowes.
According to the case against the accus-ed, Burrowes, a taxi driver, was hired by the two at Middle Road, La Penitence. The men informed him that they wanted to be dropped off at Second Street, Cummings Lodge. However, as he neared the destination, Daphness allegedly ordered him to stop the vehicle. Daphness then allegedly pulled out a gun and pointed it at Burrowes, while McArthur, who was sitting in the passenger seat, allegedly choked Burrowes.
Daphness, police say, then relieved the man of his articles and dealt him a cuff during the process. The prosecutor said that the two men then used belts to tie the man’s hands and feet before placing him in the trunk of the vehicle. They then drove off in an unknown direction.
The police further allege that the man was able to escape after the car slowed down at Sheriff Street. He reported the matter to the police.
Meanwhile, on the following day, the police received information and went to a location at Vryheid’s Lust, East Coast Demerara, in the vicinity of the cemetery, where the stolen car was spotted.
An operation was conducted by police, who later spotted the accused on a motorcycle going in the direction of where the car was parked.
They went to the car and it is further alleged that one of the men removed two number plates from a haversack and placed them on the car. After placing the plates on the car, they rode off.
It is further alleged that they stopped a short distance away and were joined by other men before the police approached them and conducted a search of the haversack. The spanner that was used to put on the plates along with two cellphones were found in the bag.
The men were arrested and placed in custody at the Brickdam Police Station. Burrowes was contacted and was able to positively identify the vehicle by its logo. He also identified his personal documents in the vehicle. Additionally, Burrowes positively identified the accused in separate identification parades.
