DELROY Parks, victim of a recent hit-and-run accident that claimed the lives of two sisters and a niece on the Corentyne Coast, has been charged and remanded to jail on two counts of robbery under arms.

He has been positively identified at the scene of one of the crimes, and was fingered as a notorious bandit after his mask was pulled off by one of the victims.

The 28-year-old Parks, alias ‘Sticky’, of Cromarty Farm, Corentyne, had been the first victim of the June 11 hit-and-run accident which spanned three villages. He appeared before Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh at the Whim Court, charged with robbery under arms.

Police allege that on July 4, last, at Kilmarnock Village Corentyne, Berbice, whilst being armed with a gun and in company with others, Parks robbed Alisha Drepaul of a cellular phone valued at $140,000; and a gold chain and two gold rings valued at $175,000, property of Alisha Drepaul.

He is also accused of robbing Andre Hoyte of a wrist watch valued at $40,000, and a sliver bracelet worth $20,000.

Prosecutor Sergeant Phillip Sherriff, in opposing bail, cited the nature and prevalence of the offence, and the fact that a gun had been used. He also said the accused is a suspect in similar offences, and that other charges are likely to follow shortly.

Sergeant Sherriff said that Berbice cops are investigating a series of robberies and rape offences committed in the Central Corentyne area. The first incident occurred on April 12th at Lot 21 Maida Farm, Corentyne Berbice. During that ordeal, three masked bandits, armed with a shotgun, cutlass and knife, entered the home of a hire car driver and robbed him of cash, a cell phone and jewellery. They also robbed the man’s wife of a substantial amount of cash and a large amount of gold jewellery, and moreover, robbed two other persons who were in the home at the time, taking away their cash and a quantity of gold jewellery, cell phones and US$700.

The man’s wife was also allegedly raped during that incident.

The second incident occurred on May 2, when three armed bandits attacked, robbed and raped a female resident of Maida Farm and stole local and United States Currency from her.

During that incident, the masked bandits took the woman to her nearby relative’s house and commanded her to call out to her relative. They had intended to carry out another robbery attack at that home, but the relative, after hearing the woman’s call, quickly dashed into the house, but not before pulling off the mask of one of the intruders.

She was terrified when she allegedly observed that Parks, whom she knew for years, and who lived a short distance away from her, was attempting to enter her home.

Having been recognized, Parks fled the scene, but was subsequently arrested by police. When captured, Parks was wearing a neck brace because of the injury he had sustained during the motor vehicular accident.

(By Jeune Vankeric)