Break-in at Eve Leary…
“We had no break-in at the Quartermaster’s Stores, so, I was really shocked and surprised at this big splash that Police lost money and boots and uniforms. I don’t know where that came from but I think it is the most hilarious of reporting (by Kaieteur News) that I have ever seen for all of my service in the Guyana Police Force.” – Police Commissioner Henry Greene
POLICE Commissioner Henry Greene yesterday described a Kaieteur News article, about theft from Police Headquarters during last weekend, as hilarious.

Speaking at a media briefing where Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee, Crime Chief Seelall Persaud, Police ‘A’ Division Commander Leroy Brummel and other senior officers of the Force were present, Greene refuted the story, although he did admit there was a burglary at the Finance Office.

He said the break-in was discovered by a policeman who arrived at work about 10:05 h Sunday and raised an alarm that the computer room was broken into and a hole had been left at the back of the Finance Office.

Greene said, when the scene was examined, it was found that a person or persons had removed the air-condition to gain entry to the computer room, which door was broken out to get into the Finance Office and the cashiers’ cages.

“There are three cages, numbers one, two and three. They broke into cage two and three but could not get past the safes. The safes have padlocks and they also have cross bars. The padlocks had been cut with nippers but they could still not get into the safes,” he stated.

Greene pointed out that it is possible the perpetrators knew that the Police Force had paid pensions last Friday, which, along with a small amount of salaries, are paid out in cash.

But, as a rule, the Force does not keep cash, as most of the ranks are paid by cheques, the Commissioner explained.

“All the pensions were paid on Friday, save just about $100,000, thereabout. So that, even if they had gotten into the safe, that was all they would have gotten. There was nothing else to get,” he maintained.

Greene said the Force does not keep any substantial sums of money in the Police environment and whatever comes in is banked on the same day on most occasions, leaving not much to be stolen from the Finance Office.

“We had no break-in at the Quartermaster’s Stores, so, I was really shocked and surprised at this big splash that Police lost money and boots and uniforms. I don’t know where that came from but I think it is the most hilarious of reporting that I have ever seen for all of my service in the Guyana Police Force,” he declared.

Greene informed that several policemen, who were on duty on the night, are in custody, while investigations are being conducted.

“I would not want to give an accurate figure but all who would have worked in the compound on that night have been questioned and we are still working. It’s probably about eight of them, because they changed shifts very regularly. They are the persons we are focusing on,” he disclosed.

The Kaieteur News report, of which Greene was critical, said the break-in at Police Headquarters occurred sometime between Saturday night and Sunday morning during which time thieves carted off a significant amount of cash and cheques.

It stated that the perpetrators escaped with uniforms, boots and about 100 Police jerseys from the Quartermaster’s Stores.