IDENTIFIABLE, armed bandits robbed a Port Mourant businessman and his wife at their grocery before riding away with their victim’s bike just after 13:00 hrs on Thursday.Forty-two-year old Venkasammy Bangari lives with his wife Rooknarine, at Lot 56 Babu John, Port Mourant, Corentyne, Berbice.
Their two-storey concrete home consists of a grocery shop and a kitchen on the lower flat.
According to reports, the couple would open their business place at 06:00 hrs daily and they would work alternatively. On Thursday, just after consuming their lunch, his spouse remained in the grocery, while Bangari left the shop and was standing outside the premises. It was while he was standing idly by that he noticed two men on a bicycle heading in his direction.
Suddenly, the rider jumped off the bike and hurriedly walked towards Bangari. The man removed a long gun from under his shirt, grabbed his victim, and forcefully took him into the shop.
In the meantime his accomplice, armed with a piece of wood, broke it after repeatedly lashing it on the shop’s counter, before pointing it at the screaming Rooknarine.
Her shouts of “thief! thief!” angered the  assailant, who lashed her across the forehead, causing her to lose her balance and fall to the floor with blood oozing  profusely from the wound.
Meanwhile, the gunman who was restraining her husband demanded money and jewellery, while threatening to kill them both if the request was not met
After being told where to find the valuables, however, the gunman went to the upper flat, where, in the couple’s bedroom, he removed a black shoulder bag containing G$190,000, Cdn$3000, USD$950,a quantity of phone cards, along with other personal documents.
After collecting the booty, the men hurriedly left, grabbing Venkasammy’s bicycle before riding off in the same direction from which they came.
No arrest has been made and the police are continuing their investigations.