Police accused of jewellery theft

Feb 19, 2012 News

…after raiding South Ruimveldt house

Once again a legitimate police operation in the city has ended with allegations of unprofessionalism and larceny of valuables from a home the ranks searched.
This time the ranks are accused of kicking down the door of a National Avenue, South Ruimveldt house, terrorizing the two children who were alone at home while ransacking the property in search of Randy Morris, who is no stranger to police action.
The house is usually occupied by Morris’s reputed wife who was not at home when the police carried out the raid on Friday.
A neighbour recalled seeing two vehicles, a heavily tinted white car and a grey open back pick-up pull up in front of the residence.
The woman said that several ranks, including some in plainclothes, emerged from the vehicles, and while some of them took up positions in the yard, others proceeded to kick open the front door of the house to gain entry.
When this newspaper visited the property on Friday, the interior was ransacked and the two young children who were at home at the time of the incident, recalled the police barging into the house, upturning everything in their path without saying a word.
The older of the two children, while trembling uncontrollably, recounted having to hide under a bed in fear when he saw the big guns the ranks were carrying.

Police emptied this wardrobe in search for criminal suspect Randy Morris.

The child told this newspaper that the ranks enquired about the person who ran under the bed and he emerged only to be confronted by ranks pointing “big guns” at his head.
According to the child, one of the ranks picked up a knife from the kitchen and managed to pick the lock of a wardrobe and then tumbled out the contents, which included clothing.
Without any adult present, the ranks went on to search the house thoroughly, claiming that they were searching for arms and ammunition.
Nothing illegal was found and the ranks subsequently left.
It was not until an adult occupant of the household returned home that some valuables were discovered missing.
“I don’t know how they gun come in and search when only li’l children deh home. They carry away a bag with passport, earrings, two rings and a band,” said Shellon Rodrigues, an older occupant of the house told this newspaper.
She is also missing her digital camera.
She had planned to lodge an official complaint with senior authorities of the Guyana Police Force, but was told to return tomorrow by ranks at the Criminal Investigations Department Headquarters, Eve Leary, when she went there yesterday.
It is not yet clear what Morris is wanted for but according to his relatives, this is the life they have been enduring for a number of years whenever a major criminal activity occurs.
There is some speculation that the police are after Morris in connection with some recent armed robberies.
There are reports that the police were led to the house by an associate of Morris, who was arrested on West Coast Demerara a few days ago.
Morris is currently on bail for an armed robbery that was committed in the La Penitence area a few months ago.
And according to relatives, he plans to be present for his next court date in April.
He has been arrested and charged for several armed robberies by the police but has never been convicted of any.
Just recently, three ranks were remanded to prison after they were accused of seizing the proceeds of a West Demerara robbery from the perpetrators and then letting the suspects go scot free.