– but items not lodged by ranks who removed them

THE Guyana Police Force is calling on persons from the D’Urban Backlands area to come forward with information concerning the discovery of what appeared to be two police helmets, components of a firearm, and a pair of pants similar to the type worn by ranks of the Tactical Service Unit (TSU).On Friday persons in the Durban Backlands area discovered the items on an empty lot which is recorded as lot 147 Durban Backlands, a seemingly abandoned property.
Persons in the area reported to media operatives that after the items were discovered the police were called to the area. They recalled that the police came to the scene, collected the items and placed them into a black bag.
However, when contacted yesterday, both Crime Chief, Leslie James, and ‘A’ Division Commander, Clifton Hicken, told the Guyana Chronicle that there was no record to prove that the police patrol which visited the location had lodged the items that were found and removed.
In fact, the two senior police officers explained that there is no record showing which patrol visited the scene and removed the items. However residents are contending that the police did visit and removed the items.
Last evening the Crime Chief said that there are a number of things which the police are looking at and are asking those who would have witnessed the police visiting the scene and removing the items to share the information with the police so that the matter can be properly investigated.
In the past the police were accused of visiting crime scenes and taking away items which were not handed over or lodged as part of the inventory of items removed from a particular crime scene.
It is not clear what the motive is behind the removal and refusal to hand over or lodge the items by the police.
Several years ago the Guyana Defence Force reported the disappearance of thirty AK-47 rifles from its armory and five pistols. Several of the weapons were recovered but a number of them are still unaccounted for.
Up to late last evening the police were still trying to get to the bottom of the entire development at Durban Backlands.

(By Leroy Smith )