COMMANDER of Police ‘C’ Division, Assistant Commissioner, Eric Bassant has commended the community response to the Tuesday night robbery at Montrose Railway Embankment, East Coast Demerara.

He said it was very good and ignited the need for the residents to work together to fight crime.
His remarks were made after the Naraine family was robbed of cash and jewellery by three gunmen.
Bassant said police received a call from the scene and responded almost immediately, with the first patrol dispatched from Sparendaam.
The second sets of ranks, from Vigilance and Cove and John, were backed up by others from Police Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown, after which they all cordoned off the area.
Bassant said, on arrival at the house, the cops were of the view that the robbers were still inside holding the occupants hostage but, later, it was confirmed that the bandits had escaped undetected.
He related that residents came out in their numbers to assist the police, who were pleased with the support which goes to show that the community is working to help stamp out crime.
They were there, ready to aid the police and it was good, Bassant asserted.

Any confrontation
He said the police, upon arrival at the location, effected a ‘circle and wait’ approach to deal with the situation but, somehow, the bandits fled before there was any confrontation.

The victims, the Naraines, who operate a taxi service at their residence, were surprised by three intruders who posed as customers and entered the lower flat of the two-storey house. They held the daughters of the owners, Yogeeta called Shivanie, 23, and her sister, Dhanmattie, 19, as well as two taxi drivers, at gunpoint.
It happened shortly after 20:00 hrs while the parents were away from home but the latter were alerted to the incident by a cell phone call and rushed back, only to hear their daughters’ screams.
The Naraines were previously robbed at their home in March this year.
This time, the police report said, about 20:15 hrs on September 10, three men, one of whom was armed with a firearm, barged into Shamo’s Taxi Service at Montrose Railway Embankment, held up two taxi drivers and the daughters of the business owner, took away a total of $500,000, a quantity of jewellery and three cell phones, before fleeing over the fence at the back of the premises.
Contrary to reports in other sections of the media, the police did not discharge any warning shots nor was there any exchange of gunfire with the perpetrators.
Meanwhile, investigations into the heist are still in progress.