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Mon Repos Market vendors still await police action
One month, and four burglaries later…
After being burglarized for the fourth time in less than six months, some Mon Repos Market vendors fear that the latest break-in will be ignored like the ones before.
Kaieteur News understands that the three security guards, who were in police custody at the Beterverwagting Police Station, East Coast Demerara, were subsequently released.
“The police didn’t even tell we back wha happened to the case. We suffering all de time, and the NDC never even showed any sympathy,” one vendor said.
The stalls, which are located in the last lane to the south of the market, were broken into during the midnight hours of March 14.
The robbers carted off millions of dollars in valuables despite the fact that the facility is manned by three guards at a time, fueling speculations of some amount of complicity.
From all indications the thieves used hammers and other implements to break their way into the stalls, yet the guards on duty maintained that they heard nothing.
The affected vendors are still however very suspicious of these guards who they had said “never see or hear anything.” The guards were hired by the Lusignan Neighbourhood Democratic Council.
When Kaieteur News visited the scene, Anita Persaud, a single mother of two, was sitting in her stall with tears in her eyes, relating the losses she and her children have suffered. This was the fourth blow for Persaud.
This time, the burglars made good their escape with her compressor valued at more than $200,000 and an additional $200,000 in garments which she has not yet paid for.
The still distraught salon owner said that she was feeling helpless, since she not only has to repay such a huge debt, but is still saddled with school fees, light bill and rent for both her stall and home, among other expenses. She estimated that as a result of all the breakages, she has lost a total of $1.5M.
Meanwhile, owner of stall Number 298, Narendra Puran, better known as Tota, had initially told this newspaper that after the thieves failed to gain entry into his jewellery and cellular phone store via the front door, they decided to break the ceiling which afforded them entry to both his and Persaud’s side doors.
And while they managed to break Persaud’s door lock, the robbers could not get past the grillwork on Persaud’s side door. They did however manage to pull out $50,000 in items through a portion of the grillwork.
Puran, who had been burglarized twice before, vented his anger on the guards who he said always claim that they had not heard or seen anything. He previously suffered a similar fate in September last year, losing $900,000 on that occasion. The police never charged anyone for any of the break-ins.
Bibi Salima Khan, owner of stalls Number 294-295, had said that the thieves gained access to her clothing stall by breaking the “shuttle”- (a shed that also works as a door for the front of the stall).
Khan said that she was robbed of $500,000 worth of clothing, footwear and mosquito nets.
Maureen Rampertab pointing to her broken lock
She added that she lost $300,000 in a previous burglary.
Maureen Rampertab, the owner of stalls Number 293 and 310, which house two separate gift shops, was robbed of over $500,000 in brand name makeup, under-garments, lingerie, colognes and jewelry. These are mainly Victoria’s Secret, Avon, Sterling Silver jewellery and Liz Taylor products.
Rampertab, who was robbed for the first time, explained to this newspaper that the thieves broke the locks to the doors to both of her stalls and stripped the mannequins of expensive underwear and lingerie.
“I have established myself here. Now people know about me and are coming to me. It took me three years to build this clientele I now have. My worry is the price to re-stock.”
This publication understands that one guard originally claimed that he had seen some men in the market during the hours when the stalls were being attacked. The vendors are, to date, wondering why he didn’t stop the robbers, or at least raise an alarm.
Since the accused guards have been relieved of their duties, other non–professionals have again been hired.
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