…suspect attacked pregnant woman with cutlass

POLICE in ‘B’ Division are on the hunt for a lone bandit, who is creating havoc in the Upper Corentyne area following several reports of robbery and attempted break and enter within the Number 44-47 villages on Saturday last.

The first report is that of 27-year-old Melisa Narine of Lot 13 Number 45 village, who was awaken by a cutlass wielding bandit wearing her clothes.

According to Narine, who is seven months pregnant, the bandit flashed a torchlight in her face before placing the cutlass to her neck, demanding cash.

“Around 11’ o clock me feel like something bright over me eyes and when me open am, me see wan man a wear me pregnancy dress and towel on he head, stand up ova me and pull out want cutlass and put am on me neck. He ask me ‘weh de money deh’ and me tell am me nah get money.”

Fearing that he would hurt her and her unborn child, she decided to fight him off by pushing him away as she attempted to get off the bed. He reportedly ran after realizing Narine was resisting him and escaped with her bicycle. Upon venturing downstairs, Narine realised the bandit had spent some time in the house before waking her up, since he already emptied her bag, which contained money and jewellery.

The pregnant woman estimates her loss to be approximately $100,000.

Meanwhile, in the neighbouring village at approximately 11:20h, Kerpaul Dammar, the owner of a trucking service, was alerted by his wife that a bicycle was parked in front of their gate.

Fearing that someone was trying to steal parts from his trucks, he decided to arm himself with his licensed firearm and waited to see if anyone would show up.

At around 12:45h, Dammar said he saw a someone wrapped in dark clothing jump the fence and he decided to fire a warning shot to scare him off; however the suspect remained hidden next to the truck so he decided to fire two other warning shots in the air.

The person then quickly escaped on a bicycle. Dammar said he and his son attempted to trace the suspect but only managed to retrieve the shirt that was wrapped around the head and face of the person.

When Dammar returned home, he =realized the lower flat of his two story home was broken into and was ransacked.

“When we come back home we see the downstairs open and tumble up, he mix tea and drink it wid biscuit and eat out all the apple and grapes from the fridge. He carry way two bottle pepper sauce we had in the cupboard and $4000 plus he carry way me grandson book bag wid he books,” Dammar said.

The bandit also managed to gain access to a bus, which was parked in the yard and stole some candy which was inside.

Additionally, 77-year-old Somawattie Partab also of #46 Village said she was awaken by her 69-year-old husband around 12:30h, who told her about noises downstairs.

Upon venturing down the stairs and into the kitchen, Partab saw a man pushing his hands through a window he had broken, in an attempt to open it.

“He wrap up he hand wid wan towel fu nah get cut and abee halla and me call the police and he pull out he hand quickly but the towel lef on the window,” the woman said.

Partab said in her 60 years of living at the said residence, this is the first attempted burglary; she is now fearful that the person may return. The residents are calling on the police to increase their presence in the area and to do everything possible to catch the serial bandit.