-search on for three others
THE police in Regional Division #3 have launched a manhunt for the suspects involved in an armed robbery on Friday at Hague, West Coast Demerara (WCD).
According to the police, residents on Saturday assisted ranks in capturing one of the armed- robbery suspects who has since confessed. The suspect has also given the names and details of his accomplices to the police, a statement released on Sunday said. Further, the police said that the suspect has corroborated the story of the driver of the car they had hijacked prior to the robbery.

The statement said that the suspect, along with three others, carried out the alleged robbery under arms at approximately 12:40hrs on September 13, 2024, at the home of a businesswoman in Middle Street, Ruimzeight, WCD. Three of the four suspects were reportedly armed with handguns.
According to the police, the 52-year-old businesswoman was relieved of two pairs of gold bangles, one pair of gold earrings, one gold ring, and one gold hand band, while her two workers (ages 48 and 23, both goldsmiths), were relieved of their cellphones.

It was further disclosed that the businesswoman and her family reside in a well-fenced yard in a two-storey concrete structure and a goldsmith’s workshop is located in the lower flat of the building.
At the aforementioned time and date, the businesswoman was in her kitchen area while her two workers were working in the workshop. While there, three suspects appeared at her backdoor which was opened. They pointed their firearms at her and told her not to make a sound.

The police statement added that they then took her into the workshop where they met her two workers who were relieved of their possessions. The suspects proceeded to make demands for more gold and money. In the process, one of the suspects fired a shot in the direction of the businesswoman. Persons in the area heard the gunshot and ran towards the businesswoman’s house.
The suspects reportedly exited the businesswoman’s yard and joined a white Allion motor car with registration number HC 921, which was parked nearby.
“Realising that the businesswoman was being robbed, several residents blocked the road causing the car to come to a halt. The three gunmen and the driver then exited the vehicle and escaped on foot in the direction of the Ruimzeight backlands.

“The police were summoned, and on arrival, the car was checked and a male was seen in the back seat with his hands and feet tied up with an injury at the top of his head.
“He was questioned about the injury and he claimed that several residents in the area hit him in the head. He gave his name to the police as Garfield Benjamin called ‘Carry,’ a 50-year-old fireman attached to the La Grange Fire Station and a resident/taxi driver from Stewartville, West Coast Demerara.

“Benjamin told investigators that on Friday, at around 11:30hrs, he was at the Vreed-en-Hoop junction working his taxi when the four suspects approached him and asked if he was working.
He said ‘yes’ and the suspects joined his car with a request to go to Crane. Whilst in the car he said two of the suspects pulled out firearms from their waists and ordered him to pull over to the side of the road. They then tied his hands and feet with plastic straps and put him in the back seat of the car. One of the suspects drove the car to the scene, where the other three suspects exited the vehicle and entered the yard,” the statement said.
The suspect in custody was interviewed and has since corroborated Benjamin’s story to the police. The police are also acting on the information provided by the suspect in custody as they continue the search for his three accomplices.