POLICE were yesterday hunting for two bandits who robbed Popeye’s Chicken and Seafood Restaurant, on Vlissingen Road, in Georgetown, on Tuesday night, taking away $389,000. The police report said the business place was closed about 20:35 hrs when the duo, one armed with a firearm, entered the premises and held cashier Jacqueline Mc Intosh at gunpoint, before fleeing with the money in a waiting motor car.
The restaurant supervisor, Tamesh Persaud told the Guyana Chronicle, yesterday, that he was present in the fast food outlet at the time of the robbery.
He said the robbers waited until there were only about five customers inside, then went to the counter, over which one jumped and advanced towards Mc Intosh with a gun, demanding that she give him all the cash in the register.
But, apparently, on her first attempt she was unable to open the register and one of the men chucked her in anger, causing her to fall to the floor.
Other persons who were there immediately went face down when the men barged in and demanded cash before clearing the three registers of the total $389,000.
Persaud reported that one of the frightened staff fainted and she was later rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) for treatment.
He said no commercial damage was done to the restaurant and no one was injured by the bandits but they left the other staff members traumatised.
The police responded approximately 20 minutes after the incident and some staffers present during the robbery were taken to Brickdam Police Station to assist with the investigations.
Persaud confirmed that this was not the first robbery at the place as there was a similar occurrence last year February.