Three men, including a Guyana Defence Force Lance Corporal, are in police custody following a robbery at Lima, Essequibo Coast yesterday.

Police reported that at about 00:35h, vendor Clairmonte Scott, 55, of Lima, Essequibo Coast, was at home with the front door open when three men entered the building. Two of them were masked while the other wore a toque and they were all armed with handguns.

The three armed men tied up Scott and took him outside during which time an alarm was raised by a relative inside the house. This aroused neighbouring residents who responded and the men escaped.

A report was made to the Anna Regina Police Station, and based on descriptions of the men, ranks of a mobile police patrol who had been alerted observed three men walking along the Reliance Public Road, Essequibo Coast. As the police approached, the men scattered in different directions. One of them was caught.

He was subsequently identified by the victim as the assailant who was wearing the toque and was later found to be a Lance Corporal of the GDF, based at Maria’s Lodge, Essequibo Coast. The toque was found in his pocket.

Later, ranks of the mobile police patrol challenged two men who were walking along the Columbia Public Road and who attempted to escape on seeing the police. They were arrested. One of them was seen hiding an object by a fence. This proved to be a black jersey, inside of which were an unlicensed .32 Ruger revolver with four live rounds and a mask.