Latest update November 29th, 2024 1:00 AM
Barefoot bandits rob goldsmith at gunpoint
A Crab Wood Creek goldsmith was relieved of over $2.5M in jewellery by four barefooted, masked gunmen, three of whom were armed with guns, around 11:30hrs yesterday at a market in Black Bush Polder.
Gurupaul Ramphal
Gurupaul Ramphal, 27, of Lot 27 Grant, 1804 Crab Wood Creek, was ambushed and robbed minutes after entering his Toyota Premio Car.
Kaieteur News understands that Ramphal, who has been plying his trade for over five years, had just concluded conducting business at the market and was about to make his way home, when he was attacked by the brave bandits.
In his recount of what transpired, the goldsmith explained, “I was sitting in my car when two men jumped out from the bush and confronted me at my right side window with a gun.”
The man recalled that he contemplated driving away but was unable to do so, as he would have had to reverse to maneuver about the narrow road.
And besides he was fearful for his life as the bandits threatened, “anytime you drive, we gun shoot you.”
Ramphal added that three of the bandits instructed motorists on both sides of the road to abandon their routes.
After the motorists complied, two of the men then held him at gunpoint, while another held a sharp cutlass to his neck, while dragging him out of the vehicle into a bushy corner.
Two of the men then began to ransack his car and removed a bag containing gold, silver and diamond jewellery and over $215,000 in local and US currency.
One of the gunmen demanded that he hand over his wallet, which he did. After searching through the wallet, Ramphal was handed back his driver’s licence.
He said, too, that while he was in the bushy corner with the two men, he overheard the other two accomplices saying, “Shoot that man and kill he.”
Not satisfied with their gain, the men then removed a part of Ramphal’s music system from the car trunk, before pushing him inside and locking him in. The men then made good their escape on foot.
After a while, Ramphal managed to free himself by ‘popping’ the trunk open.
The shocked man immediately alerted other vendors who rendered him some assistance. He pointed out that many of them had licenced firearms and weapons to chase the gunmen.
However, according to the goldsmith the police arrived in a timely manner but were unable to apprehend the thieves.
Ramphal added that persons in the community saw the men roaming the streets and called the police. “Them police reach quick but them send them rice farmers with cutlass fuh catch them man,” the still traumatized Ramphal recalled.
Ramphal indicated that this was the first time he had been robbed since doing business in the market.
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