-Relieves couple of $5M in daring daylight heist
BERBICE Police are reportedly investigating a daring daylight robbery on Thursday in New Amsterdam in which an Amerindian couple about to purchase a motor car was relieved of a bag containing $5M.
The drama was reportedly played out at a lawyer’s office. Reports coming out of the ‘Ancient County’ are that around 13:30h, and shortly after a downpour of rain, the couple, who had just made a withdrawal from a commercial bank in the township, entered a lawyer’s office on St. Ann’s Street, where they had gone to transact business.
On entering the office, the woman reportedly took a seat and placed the bag containing the money on her lap, when in walked a man who, it turned out, had been trailing them ever since they left the bank.
On seeing the stranger, the lawyer enquired whether he (the lawyer) could help him, but the man instantly pulled out a cutlass, which was secluded under his clothes, and brandished it at him.
Shocked beyond words, the lawyer immediately withdrew, at which point, the intruder hastily snatched the bag containing the money off the woman’s lap and fled.   An alarm was raised and public-spirited citizens hotly pursued the snatcher.
Eyewitnesses said he ran towards the compound of the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) and was encircled by a group of people.  He however drew a handgun, causing those in pursuit of him to retreat and dive for cover.   He then made good his escape  into a nearby bushy area.
The police were alerted, and moments later arrived on the scene.  On combing the area in which the man was last seen, the police found the blue bag in which the cash had earlier been carried, but the money was missing.
Also in the bag was the woman’s husband’s passport, his national identification card and some other important documents.  Next  to the bag was a pair of Clark’s boots abandoned by the snatcher.
Of those who during the incident came into contact with the snatcher,  no one claimed to have seen him before, leaving the police to conclude that he had been a stranger to the town.
Police are continuing their investigations.