Another bandit shot dead
-- cop under arrest
ANOTHER bandit in a gang on a raid in Berbice was shot and killed yesterday morning and police have arrested one of their own after money recovered at the robbery scene disappeared.

Home of a rice farmer at Lewis Manor Road, Number 19 Village, Corentyne.

The dead gang member was identified as Corbin Cort, called Quacy, of Fyrish Village, on the Corentyne, Berbice. Investigators said he was shot in the left abdomen with the bullet exiting the right lower back.

He tried to flee from the robbery scene but collapsed and died there.

Cort was in an armed six-member gang that broke into the home of a rice farmer at Lewis Manor Road, Number 19 Village, Corentyne.

Police said that following the robbery in which a large amount of cash, as well as jewellery was carted off, a rank was placed under close arrest in connection with the disappearance of a sum of money allegedly recovered at the scene of the robbery.

Police said that around 01:15h yesterday, the six men, armed with weapons, broke down a door and entered the home of 28-year old rice farmer Premkarran Karran of Don Robin Farm.

They demanded cash and jewellery, and fired several rounds in the house, during which Karran’s wife, Kaleshwarie Karran, was hit in her left upper back, police said.

There was a scuffle between Premkarran Karran and one of the bandits during which a round was discharged, hitting the invader in the left side of his abdomen, police said.

The rice farmer, upon checking his yard after the bandits had fled, found the man’s body. 

According to the Police, Karran and his wife and other family members were in the house sleeping when they were aroused by the sound of gunshots and knocking on a door. Upon seeing the men, the frightened family members hid in two bedrooms while Premkarran’s brother, Arjune Karran, ran into some bushes and hid.

After the rampage, the bandits escaped from the house with an undisclosed amount of cash and jewellery, discharging rounds as they fled, police said.

Relatives said the bandit who was shot, had grabbed a bag from the Karrans in which they had Euros 300, US$1,200, and G$150,000, and dropped it after he was shot.

However, when cops arrived on the scene, a rank was seen removing the bag, taking it to a police vehicle parked outside.

According to a witness, the bag was returned after it was emptied. Other cops were notified and the rank was later taken into custody.

Sources said a getaway car was awaiting the bandits and it sped towards New Amsterdam after the robbery attack.

Police ranks responding to the report, recovered a 9mm pistol with a magazine, two 12 gauge empty cartridges, nine .32 spent shells, one 9mm spent shell, one 9mm round and a cell phone at the scene.

Kaleshwarie Karran was taken to the New Amsterdam Hospital where she was admitted and was in stable condition, officials said.

Manooj Kumar Singh, a relative of the Karrans, said that shortly after 01:00h, he was awakened by rapid gunshots and stomping on the door of his cousin’s house next door.

He said that through a window, he saw about five persons kicking at the front door, and after about ten minutes, they got into the building.

Meanwhile, Police are working on the theory that the body of the man found in a drain with a single gunshot to the groin at Gangoo Creek, Berbice, around 06:00h Sunday, could be linked to a robbery by three armed bandits on Saturday night, at the home of a farmer at Mara, East Berbice.

Police said that when shot at, the men were attempting to rob another farmer some time after midnight.

The body discovered was identified as that of Michael Fraser, 26, a ‘suspected’ clothes vendor of Nicolay Street, New Amsterdam, police said.

Soon after the discovery, Police also arrested two other suspects, and the owner of a car presumed to be used in the robbery at the home of Sandy Wilson, 49, earlier on Saturday night.

Police reported that bandits with guns and a cutlass, around 22:50h, broke into the home of the farmer, discharged rounds, beat and terrorised family members, and tied up his nephew before making off with $35,000.

The men fled in a waiting car and after being chased by police, slammed into an electric pole at Belle Vue, East Bank Berbice. They abandoned the car and escaped.

Police said that, on being attacked at his home, Wilson, put up a spirited fight, but was no match for the men, two of whom had guns and another, a cutlass.

He sustained several cuts to the head in the process, police said.

Police stated that Wilson, his daughter and nephew were asleep in the home, when they were awakened by the noise created as the men barefacedly broke the door down and entered the building.

After being overpowered by the bandits, Wilson was forced to hand over to them, the cash he had locked in a wardrobe. But they did not leave just then. The men proceeded to a locked room occupied by Wilson’s nephew, discharged a round, then tied him up before exiting.

Police who were alerted chased after the suspects who were in a motorcar with number plate HB 4301. They later found the car abandoned and damaged, after it had slammed into the electric pole.

Around 06:00h Sunday, acting on information, they searched Gangoo Creek and found the body of Fraser.

Monday, June 26, 2006