A BRAZEN daylight robbery, committed on her last Sunday, has left 71-year-old Shirley Budhu nicknamed ‘Dread’ and ‘Data’ contemplating whether she would ever return to Guyana during her lifetime.

The Guyanese national, who migrated to Canada five years ago, returned to her Enmore, East Coast Demerara home for a six weeks vacation and was in the process of  visiting her husband’s grave on Father’s Day when the incident occurred.

Speaking to the Guyana Chronicle yesterday at Foulis, Enmore, she said she was heading to the Enmore Logwood burial ground to clear the grave and, on the way, saw two boys, of different ethnicities, on a bicycle.

They passed her but turned back and grabbed her belongings from behind, one snatching a gold chain, valued G$140,000, while the other took her handbag containing US$400, Cdn$100 and G$2,100, perfumes and other personal belongings.

Being a former rural constable and still having some of her policing skills intact, Budhu said she held on to one of the robbers and fought him but fell in the process and he and his accomplice escaped.

She expressed gratitude to the Police ranks who responded promptly and searched the area diligently for the bandits.
Budhu said she received full cooperation from the cops who were very nice to her.
She said the two who robbed her are known in the community but they would sell the booty “for next to nothing” and “smoke out the money.”
Budhu said she is concerned for the safety of foreigners who want to come to Guyana and conduct business but may change their minds.
She said her present husband, with whom she lives in Canada, would never want to visit this country after what happened to her.
The woman explained that some of what was stolen had been given to her by individuals in Canada to deliver to relatives here and she kept the gifts in her possession in the event she saw the intended recipients as she went around the village.
She said she now has to make restitution of all the cash on her own as she does not want to disappoint her friends in Canada.
“This is the first time I was robbed and I cannot believe it. The incident happened in broad daylight. They are so bold these days,” the victim declared.