Police Investigate Alleged Armed Robbery of Contractor in Essequibo Coast

The Guyana Times reports that police in Regional Division Two are currently looking into an alleged robbery under arms that took place on Saturday, October 17, around 15:10h at Cottonfield. The victim, 44-year-old Yajgeet Chandradeo, who is a contractor for Lot 25, Block 3, Richmond Housing Scheme, Essequibo Coast, reportedly had some $3,367,500.00 in cash stolen during the robbery.

Enquiries indicated that the victim works for 50-year-old Rakesh Samaroo, who owns Builder’s Hardware and is a businessman in Cotton Field, Essequibo Coast, and that approximately 40 workers are employed at the construction site.

According to the victim, he typically pays workers on Saturdays. He stated that on Saturday, October 17, at approximately 11:47h, his son, 21-year-old Raj Chandradeo, who resides at the same address as his father, collected the money from Samaroo’s office in Anna Regina, Essequibo Coast. Subsequently, at about 12:10h, the victim received a black plastic bag containing the money from his son and placed it inside a compartment of his motor canter.

Later, at approximately 15:00h, the victim departed from home in his motor canter and traveled to the construction site in Cottonfield, Essequibo Coast. Upon arrival, he parked the vehicle on the access street, roughly four feet from the entrance, and retrieved the black plastic bag containing the money. The victim recounted that as he walked toward the entrance, a male approached him from behind. This individual was described as wearing a black ski mask, brown long pants, a brown long-sleeved shirt marked with the logo “SECURITY,” and black high-top boots.

The male was armed with a black object resembling a handgun, which he pointed at the victim while demanding the black plastic bag containing the money. Fearing for his life, the victim surrendered the bag of cash to the assailant. The man then fled in an easterly direction using a black Toyota Allion motor car with registration PAB 6966.

Following information, the said motor car was later located at its owner’s residence in Jib, Essequibo Coast. Furthermore, several operations were established across the region, including a stop at Capoey Public Road, Essequibo Coast, where a motor car, PAR 665, was stopped. The driver of this vehicle was identified as 38-year-old Eshwar Kissoonlall, a taxi driver from Lot 151, Anna Regina Housing Scheme, Essequibo Coast, who is affiliated with OVO Taxi Base, Anna Regina.

Police reported that another male, dressed in black three-quarter-length pants and a black-and-white T-shirt, was observed in the front passenger seat of the vehicle. Both the driver and the passenger were directed to exit the vehicle, and searches were conducted on them. Although no illegal items were found on their persons, a Police rank noticed a black haversack on the back seat. When questioned, the passenger, who identified himself as 25-year-old Jarell James Barker, a taxi driver from Lot 17, De Kinderen, West Coast Demerara, claimed the haversack was his.

A search of the haversack in his presence uncovered one .45-calibre pistol with serial number NM 712659, along with a magazine holding seven live .45-calibre rounds of ammunition. A subsequent search of the haversack also revealed one pair of brown jogger pants, one brown long-sleeved shirt bearing the “SECURITY” logo, and two black ski masks. The suspect was informed of the offense and cautioned, after which he admitted to owning the firearm and ammunition. He was then taken to the Anna Regina Police Station along with the recovered firearm.

At the station, the firearm was examined for latent fingerprints, but none were discovered. The firearm, ammunition, and clothing were photographed, sealed, and stored separately with the Subordinate Officer (S/O) in charge of the Anna Regina Police Station.

During an interview, Jarell Barker confessed to participating in the robbery with another accomplice named Preston Skeete, who reportedly lives in Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo, and Linden, Region 10.

Based on additional information, 30-year-old Skeete was apprehended at Lot 14, Westbury Old Road, Essequibo Coast, and taken into custody. Checks conducted with the construction company revealed that Skeete was employed by the company but had not reported to the work site on the day of the alleged robbery.

Further investigations indicated that on Friday, October 16, at approximately 11:32h, Jarell Barker had rented a black Toyota Allion motor car with registration number PAB 6966 from Countryside Auto Rental, located at Lot 24, Jib Housing Scheme, Essequibo Coast.

The scene was processed by Detectives while the surrounding area was searched for CCTV cameras, and several cameras were observed on nearby buildings. Efforts are currently underway to review the available CCTV footage. Statements have been taken as the investigations continue.