IN the arrest and questioning of five persons up to yesterday in relation to the well orchestrated gold and cash heist in the North West District on Friday, three officers of the Guyana Police Force are among the lot.
Yesterday Crime Chief Seelall Persaud confirmed that a police sergeant who recently began duties at the location and two constables were arrested and are being question in relation to their roles in the facilitation of the robbery.
The Crime Chief stated that they have been able to recover all of the gold that went missing, which amounts to 96 ounces, and were able to recover in excess of $17M which was also part of the loot.
According to the deputy commissioner, they were able to confirm that the robbery was staged by an employee who embezzled the company’s money after being entrusted with looking over the operations in the interior location.
In his efforts to cover up his embezzlement, the man decided that he was going to plan a robbery which meant that he too would have to be bound by the men who were coming to carry out the robbery.
Seelall Persaud told the media that following the robbery, the mastermind himself was the one who called the police and reported the matter hours after the dramatic performance was staged. The police said that based on the intelligence, and with the help of the community, they were able to get wind of the entire operation.
The recovery of the booty was also due to private investigations conducted by several persons, the media were told.
Asked about the policy of the Guyana Police Force of the rotation of ranks to avoid corruption and complacency, the Crime Chief said that it was one such move that had landed the police sergeant in question at the district. It was noted that he recently took up duties in that area.
Information is that the men who carried out the act visited the El Dorado office in Port Kaituma on Friday and carted off the valuables after the manager administered sleeping pills to his subordinates.
The men committed the act and left the area by boat while others later made good their escape by various means.
