Rose_Hall_rampage Vergenoegen_raids  

LESS than two days after the massacre of five persons on the East Bank Demerara, another heavily-armed gang stormed into the bustling Rose Hall town in Berbice in broad daylight yesterday, shooting a woman in the back while robbing two banks.

SHATTERED: the glass door of Republic Bank after the robbery

And in another brazen display of firepower and military-like precision, the gang rounded up and forced people in the area to form a human line to block the main road to carry out the robbery attacks.

In a precision operation that last under 15 minutes, residents and other witnesses said they simultaneously approached the Republic Bank and Demerara Bank,

Rose Hall residents said it was like in a Wild West movie, with bandits sweeping in and firing wildly to take over the town.

And to the horror of all those around, the gang ordered persons they found in the vicinity on the main road of the town to quickly form a human line which blocked the road

And in another brazen display of firepower and military-like precision, the gang rounded up and forced people in the area to form a human line to block the main road to carry out the robbery attacks.

Police said Surujdai Virasammi, 39, who had just withdrawn money from the Republic Bank branch in the town, was robbed of $10,000 and shot in the back. She was admitted to the New Amsterdam Hospital, police said.

Police said the gang of about 15 heavily-armed men struck at about 11:15 h.

In a precision operation that last under 15 minutes, residents and other witnesses said they simultaneously approached the Republic Bank and Demerara Bank, which are near each other, firing shots indiscriminately.

People who first saw the men said they were carrying large canvas bags and as they approached they whipped out guns from the bags and opened fire, forcing residents and others to flee for cover.

Rose Hall residents said it was like in a Wild West movie, with bandits sweeping in and firing wildly to take over the town.

And to the horror of all those around, the gang ordered persons they found in the vicinity on the main road of the town to quickly form a human line which blocked the road. Among those commandeered into the human roadblock was a child, witnesses said.

Police said the gang members entered the banks, held the staff and customers at gunpoint and forced the two Managers to open the vaults, which were both emptied.

Two cars were later recovered in the Rose Hall back lands.

Police said they found several 7.62 spent shells and two live rounds at the scene.

During the daring attack, the town was virtually shut down. Businesses quickly closed doors and vehicles disappeared from the main road.

A resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said he was plying his trade along the main road when he was alerted at about 11:10 h of the presence of two men dressed in black.

He said the relative who informed him of the men’s presence, advised him to run but he decided otherwise.

The eyewitness said the men were armed with guns and were cranking the weapons on the road shoulder as they moved along.

Shortly afterwards, he said, the gunmen began to quickly walk towards him, and in the process ordered those they found to form a human barrier across the roadway.

He said two armed men kept patrol in front of the barricade, while three stayed at the back. None of the 15 persons in the line were allowed to speak or move during the ordeal, he recalled.

As one set kept watch on the human roadblock, another group entered the Demerara Bank where they robbed several customers before requesting keys to the vault from the banking staff.

Rampersaud Pertab, a rice farmer of Black Bush Polder, had just completed changing a cheque for $500,000 and was waiting on his wife and another relative to complete their transactions when he saw two gunmen hurriedly enter the bank, requesting that everyone empty their purses, pockets and hand over everything they had.

The man said the money he had uplifted earlier, in addition to his gold band and fingerings valued at $600,000, were taken from him.

He told the Guyana Chronicle death stared him in the face and he straightaway remembered his four children, aged 12 to 8 years.

His wife, Somattie, still visibly shaken from the ordeal, lost a pair of gold jingles.

Parbattie Pertab, sister of Rampersaud, had also gone to cash a cheque but did not bother after the bandits entered. However, they robbed her of $5,000 in cash and jewellery.

Following the robbery at the Demerara Bank, the bandits left the building and, according to witnesses, an accomplice asked them whether all was well.

The bank robbers responded in the affirmative and they then ordered those forced to form the human barrier across the road to move forward.

At Main and Independence Avenue, the terrified bunch was ordered to lie flat on the asphalt roadway, while some of the bandits swept into the Republic Bank.

A child who was among the adults in the human barrier cried repeatedly because of the scorching heat from the asphalt road.

According to one eyewitness, the gunmen ordered the child’s relatives to remove him, but before they could do so, another couple quickly got up, taking the child with them and escaped.

The parents, however, were afterwards reunited with the child.

At that moment, being military trained, he said he looked towards the door where he observed the guard closing the door, just before the tinted glass on it was shattered.

The customer said about five unmasked men then entered and demanded the film from the closed security camera, and did not stop firing shots until their demands were met.

They also demanded keys to the vault and robbed customers of their cell phones.

Sadik said he for a moment forgot he was not in London, and dialled 999 seeking help.

He said the female staff members cried uncontrollably during the ordeal which he estimated lasted about 10 minutes.

He said it appeared that the men’s demands were met as they left, taking two vehicles, one owned by acting Branch Manager of the bank, Imran Sakoo.

Sadik said one of the guns the men had was an AK-47 rifle.

Those who were forced to form the human barricade fled after no one responded to the bandits’ demands for a driver for mini-buses parked nearby.

Witnesses said the gunmen had no getaway vehicle and were looking for a driver to help them escape.

However, the gang members who left the Republic Bank signalled their comrades to join them in the hijacked vehicles and they drove towards the back lands of Rose Hall, witnesses said.

Residents in that vicinity said the robbers fired shots indiscriminately as they left the town.

The vehicles PFF 3748 and PFF 6369 were later found abandoned in the back lands and are under police guard.

Rose Hall residents were very vocal about the long time it took for police or soldiers to arrive at the scene.

The police arrived 30 minutes after the bandits escaped, residents said. It was observed that the Police Outpost a street away remained shut during and after the attack.

President of the Central Corentyne Chamber of Commerce Mr. Adrian Anamayah said the body was very concerned about the attack and although it has been very vocal and outspoken about crime, the situation seems totally out of control.

He said the chamber is calling on the armed forces to arrest the situation.

Yesterday’s chilling attack at Rose Hall came after the Tuesday night massacre when a gang of heavily-armed gunmen swept into the East Bank Demerara villages of Bagotstown, Eccles and Agricola, leaving five dead.

Four of those killed execution-style were members of the printing staff of the Kaieteur News newspaper at the Eccles printery.

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Saturday, August 12, 2006