SERGEANT Gregory Brusche, a detective for the past 25 years, possesses a wealth of knowledge in the area of crime. He is attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at Brickdam Police Station.

Brusche serves as a criminal profiler for the GPF, and his talent is unmatched in that field. He spoke with this publication and gave his take on the thinking of some criminals (bandits) who have perpetrated brutal crimes within recent times.

Those criminals, on several occasions, have meted out savage beatings on their victims during home invasions, even though the victims had submitted themselves to the control of those bandits and had handed over money and valuables to them.

Brusche explained that some of these young career criminals are overzealous; and sometimes, in the heat of an armed robbery, they do things they did not plan to do; as in the case of the Land Court Judge and her husband at their home.

Brusche said those bandits are often under the influence of marijuana (cannabis sativa) and sometimes something a bit stronger, like cocaine. He said the bandits would usually ‘fuel up’ before committing a crime, but sometimes they do not.
He added that when these young bandits are caught by the police and questioned, and when asked what motivated them to do such things, like beating a woman unconscious, they would say they did not go there to do that, but in the heat of the crime they acted out.

Brusche said some bandits have revealed that it is also about excitement; and, for example, if four or five men go to do an armed robbery and during the crime one of the men decides to rape a female and the rest of the group gets upset and objects, saying, “We did not come here for that, what are you doing?” In that instant, he may become upset and do something outrageous; because he has seen an attractive woman and has already decided in his mind that he wants to rape her, but his colleagues are outraged when he attempts to rape the woman, since it is their understanding they went on a job to rob but not to rape.

Brusche disclosed that it is also the modus operandi of some criminals — especially the young ones – to do outrageous things because they need to drive fear into people for their total submission, or simply to be in control of them.

He said: “For example, after a robbery, the young bandit will tell his friends ‘I had to kick her up in the face!’ In so doing, he will make his name among his colleagues in the criminal world, where they will say: ‘You see that one there, he cruel, he does beat people bad’; and they boast among themselves to earn that kind of recognition.”

Brusche pointed out that, on the other hand, the older criminals operate differently, in that they would go to commit an armed robbery, and even though they have guns, they would not discharge any rounds, but just commit the robbery and leave.

Brusche said that older bandits operate in a professional manner, with little or no violence, and quickly retreat from their quarry. The younger ones look to build a reputation and make their names by being cruel and violent with people.

Gregory Brusche has been a detective for the past 25 years. Although blind in both eyes for the past 12 years, he still takes immense pride in his job.
During the brutal crime wave of 2002, a lone gunman on a bicycle ambushed Brusche a few metres from the Brickdam Police Station. He was shot in the head at point blank range, but survived at a time when many of his colleagues who were being targeted by criminal elements were killed.

On December 9, 2009, the then Commissioner of Police, Henry Greene, promoted Brusche on the spot for his unwavering commitment to the job during the Force’s Christmas Luncheon at the Brickdam Police Station.
Brusche was also awarded for his sterling performance and dedication.

BRUTAL CRIMES
On August 7, 2015, at about 03:00 hrs, the owner of Jade Stone Chinese Restaurant on Mandela Avenue, Georgetown was brutally hacked to death after he had endured a severe beating at the hands of bandits who had invaded his home.

Zhenjz Su was gagged, bound and chopped to death in the kitchen area of his restaurant. His wife, 32-year-old Fei Su, was beaten unconsciousness, with the attackers knocking out some of her teeth.

In July 2015, businessman Mohamed Chand, 50, and his wife, Land Court Judge Nicola Pierre, 43, were battered and robbed in their Felicity, East Coast Demerara home. Mr. Chand lost an eye, while Ms. Pierre suffered a broken jaw.

The couple woke up to a brutal beating administered to their heads by a group of men who had overpowered a female Special Constable and gained entry to the house via a window.
The bandits assaulted the couple until they were both unconscious.

On August 16, 2015, a family had its members beaten and chopped when three masked men entered their home at Number Two Village, West Coast Berbice at about 3:00 hrs whilst they were preparing to go to the Rosignol Stelling to sell fish.

Neeranie Kadir, 46, was gun-butted; had a gun forced into her mouth, causing her to lose a tooth; and was chopped multiple times to the body. One of her limbs was so badly chopped that the contusion affected the bone.

Her husband, fish vendor Abdool Kadir, 47, received head injuries and was chopped several times to the body as well.

On August 1, 2015 surveillance cameras captured a young man clubbing, kicking and stomping 77-year-old Carmen Ganesh to death in her home at Montrose, East Coast Demerara.

As the elderly woman lay bleeding profusely, the man continued to beat her savagely.

By Michel Outridge