Police have arrested a man who is suspected to be one of the three bandits who carried out the daring robbery at Wallison Enterprise in Kitty on Thursday and escaped with almost $60 million in cash and raw gold.
Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum yesterday told Stabroek News that the suspect was arrested on Thursday and is currently assisting with the investigation.
Also still in custody is a security guard for the business, who was arrested shortly after the robbery.
The three bandits entered Wallison Enterprise at Lot 23 Gordon Street, Kitty, Georgetown around 10.05 am.
The men, who posed as customers, escaped with $38 million in cash, 60 ounces of raw gold valued $20 million and 2 cellular phones valued $360,000.
Police said the men entered the compound under the pretext that they were going to sell gold. The bandits wore masks and hats to hide their identities. They arrived at the scene in a white motor car, which they parked north of the building. They entered the compound through the main entrance.
Once inside the building, they held two employees; a 20-year-old female cashier and a 45-year-old goldsmith at gunpoint and ordered them to the safe which contained the valuables.
According to a police report, the victims were at work when the suspects entered the business premises posing as customers.
“The suspects entered the waiting area, where they spoke to the cashier and showed her a small package which they claimed contained gold to sell,” the police said.
Immediately after, the police added, the bandits whipped out firearms and held the cashier at gunpoint.
They ordered her into an office where the cash and gold were secured, the police said. “At the time the other victim and another man were in the said office and they were held at gun point,” the report noted.
The police further stated that the suspects then ordered the victims to open two metal safes after which they handcuffed them with plastic straps. “They then took away the victims’ phones, monies and gold mentioned after which they locked the victims into one of the office and made good their escape,” the police said.
The cashier raised an alarm, after which the security guard immediately went to her rescue and kicked open the office door.
The robbery was captured by security cameras.
