A businessman shot and injured a suspected bandit during an alleged armed robbery at Eccles, East Bank Demerara, on Wednesday evening, while police are also investigating raids on three mining camps at Toroparu Backdam, Lower Puruni River, during which gunmen stole gold, cash and a security guard’s rifle.
In a separate operation on Wednesday, police recovered a .32 pistol concealed in a handbag in an unoccupied structure at North Ruimveldt, Georgetown.
According to police, two Cuban labourers, aged 24 and 25, were walking at Eccles at approximately 7 pm when two men on separate motorcycles approached them. One was armed with a handgun.
The suspects reportedly pointed the weapon at the men and robbed the 24-year-old of a cellular phone. The other victim was relieved of a wallet containing his identification card and cash.
A 41-year-old businessman witnessed the robbery from his nearby residence and discharged several rounds from his licensed firearm towards the suspects, injuring one, police said.
The wounded suspect rode a short distance before falling from his motorcycle. His accomplice escaped.
Police said the injured man, aged 22, was taken to the Diamond Regional Hospital before being transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital for further treatment.
A wallet containing the 25-year-old victim’s identification card and cash was recovered near the injured suspect. Police are seeking the second man.
At Toroparu Backdam, five masked men armed with rifles and a shotgun reportedly raided three mining camps between 9.30 am and 5 pm on Tuesday.
Police said the men first entered an operation owned by a 52-year-old Brazilian miner, confronted workers and forced them to hand over an undisclosed quantity of raw gold.
They then escorted the workers to the main camp, took their cellular phones and compelled the transfer of an undisclosed sum from a bank account belonging to a 34-year-old Brazilian woman.
The bandits stole an all-terrain vehicle before proceeding to two other camps.
At one of those locations, they disarmed a 26-year-old security guard of an AR semi-automatic rifle and eighteen .223 rounds of ammunition.
Police said the men demanded gold and cash at both camps and assaulted several workers before escaping with the stolen firearm and ammunition.
Ranks subsequently visited the area and recovered the ATV abandoned in nearby bushes. Efforts to locate the suspects are continuing.
Meanwhile, police acting on information visited farmland behind Kaneview Avenue, North Ruimveldt, at approximately 7.19 pm on Wednesday, where they found two unoccupied wooden structures.
A search of one uncovered a .32 pistol concealed inside a handbag. No ammunition was found.
The firearm was taken to East La Penitence Police Station, where it was processed and lodged pending investigation. No arrests were made.
Investigations into all three matters are continuing.
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