THREE known felons on Monday denied breaking into the popular Guyanese jewellery store; L. Seepersaud Maraj and Sons, located inside the Stabroek Market, and carting off $22M worth in jewellery when the charges were read to them by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

The men, Albert DeFreitas, 54 of Leopold Street, Georgetown, Treon Parks 31 of Eccles, East Bank Demerara and Clifford Rodney, 66 of One Mile, Linden were able to plea to the charge after Police Prosecutor Neville Jeffers requested the Administration of Justice Act be applied.

The trio denied that that between July 2, 2018 and July 3, 2018 at Stabroek Market they broke and entered the jewellery store and stole a quantity of gold and diamond jewellery worth $22M.

More than a week ago the men were first placed before the court and were on remand. The matter has been transferred to Magistrate Fabayo Azore for July 27 and the three were further remanded.

According to reports, all three defendants are known to the police and have similar matters before the court. Rodney had confessed to using a blow-torch to open the vault door of the jewellery establishment, while DeFreitas is reported to have told ranks that he assisted Rodney in carrying out the heist.

On July 3 upon arriving at work an employee of the establishment discovered that the establishment had been vandalised.

Reports indicate that the staff observed the front grill of the store open and upon closer inspection, it was discovered that the vault door was also open. The staff immediately contacted the proprietor who visited and noted that a large quantity of gold and diamond jewellery was missing.

A police source said the robbers gained entry to the store from the eastern grill by cutting the locks and disabling the alarm systems before blow-torching the vault door open.
It was noted that the bandits had taken several hours to complete their operation, since there were three major security doors before the vault.