Latest update November 26th, 2024 1:00 AM
Bungling bandits steal mail from delivery worker
– thought it was pension money
Two armed robbers apparently made a mistake yesterday, believing that their haul was cash intended for pensioners at the local post office at Grove, East Bank Demerara. But then again, it may have been a case of a number of desperate people wanting to read other people’s mail.
Whatever the reason, it was clear yesterday that mail destined for Grove and its environs was stolen in the incident, during which the driver fled after he was approached.
Regular business at Grove Post Office, shortly after bungling bandits stole mail which they apparently mistook for pension money.
Kaieteur News understands that water bills were amongst the items stolen. Sources close to the investigation said that the two bandits were waiting for the driver and they seemed to be aware of the fact that pensions were being paid.
Around 07:25hrs, the driver who would normally deliver mail from the head offices of the Guyana Post Office Corporation (GPOC) had just exited his vehicle when he was approached by a man who whipped out a gun and demanded the bag.
The driver immediately threw the bag at the bandit and took off on foot.
Another bandit waiting on the opposite side of the road came across and took two smaller bags from the vehicle and the two men hurried to a car parked where the second man came from and the vehicle sped away.
“It all happened within a few minutes. They must have thought that it was cash in the bags. It was just mostly GWI bills and bank statements and other normal mail.”
Police arrived shortly after and were investigating at the time of Kaieteur News’ arrival, around 08:00hrs.
It is the third incident in which the post office has been targeted for the year.
Yesterday, the GPOC confirmed the robbery in a statement saying that a mail contractor was relieved of a quantity of mail.
“At about 7:25 am, a man armed with a gun confronted the mail contractor as he made his way to the Post Office from his vehicle. After a brief scuffle, the gunman and an accomplice escaped with mail bags containing mail intended for delivery in the Grove, Soesdyke and Kuru Kururu areas.” GPOC said that the police have been notified and are investigating.
“Operations at the Post Office in Grove continued as usual. The Guyana Post Office Corporation apologises to its customers for any delay in the delivery of mail as a result of this incident and has notified its customers and clients of this development. Further it has committed to the delivery of these mails once they become available from our clients and customers at no extra charge.”
In January, unknown persons torched their way into the post office stealing more than $100,000 in cash and a computer.
Scores of letters were also burnt and left strewn on the floor of the building.
The staffers turned up for work and found the back door wide open and contents of the safe, minus cash, burnt from the blow torch used.
Kaieteur News was told that the perpetrators, like the earlier break-in in early November last year, torched an iron bar on the back window to gain entry.
Using raincoats which several staff had left in the building, the burglars covered the window and torched open one of the safes. Several documents were burnt in the process. It is believed that they left through the back door since the locks there were also torched and removed.
Among its wide range of services, post offices pay pensioners and process money orders.
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