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‘Bamboo’ and Cash thieves rampant in Stabroek Bazaar
Three separate stallholders in the Stabroek Bazaar have been robbed by bandits who apparently are targeting Cigarette “bamboo” wrappers (wrappings used to smoke cigarettes and other substances) and the cash that the stall holders would have on them when they lock up. And this has happened in the space of one month.
Babaloo’s steel plated door.
The most recent victim was to H. Balrams Haberdashery. Sometime between Saturday Night and Sunday. Apparently the robbers broke the locks used to secure the premises and stole $100,000 in cash and all of his bamboo cases while his other products remained intact.
According to the owner, Balram, his premises was robbed before and since that incident, he would not leave his money in the stall when he closes. But on this occasion he forgot to take his money with him when he left.
Balram expressed that the constables don’t do enough work in the monitoring of stalls in the Bazaar, he even went further to suggest that they might even be in on the robberies since he is of the opinion that some amount of noise must be heard when his locks are broken and doors forced open and as such, the constables who secure the area must have heard something. “But when you ask them they never know nothing,” he said.
Two lots down from where Balrams Haberdashery is located, is Babaloo Confectionery. The owner of the premises explained to Kaieteur News that she had to reinforce her stall with grills. She also had to make a steel plated door since she was robbed twice. The second robbery occurred one month ago.
The owner said that since her first robbery in which over $4M was stolen from her business because she didn’t carry her money to the bank, she has made it her duty not to leave money in there.
On her second robbery the bandits clipped her locks and gained entry to the business and stole all her “bamboo” stocks and made off with $20,000 in cash that was in the drawer.
Just opposite her stall was another confectionary business (Bibi’s) that was robbed two weeks earlier of some of its stocks and approximately $90,000. The business owner reported that the police constables came and swept the area for fingerprints. He also took statements and left.
She has not heard anything from them since.
One of Balram’s locks that was broken.
In what is a bizarre calling card or possible strategy used by the robbers, according to the owners is that when they (robbers) broke or clipped the locks of all three of the business stalls they replaced them with new ones and locked back the building. The owner of Bibi’s Confectionery said that her heart “fluttered” when she came and saw new locks on her doors.
The woman said that the locks even bigger and stronger than the ones she used. The owner of Babaloo’s Confectionery said that she had to call the fire service to cut the bigger locks that were used by the robbers on her doors.
They are appealing for more vigilance and input from the part of the police constables who are supposed to guard that area, since one owner said that regardless of what happens, when her rent is due at the end of the month, she has to pay it on the deadline or else face expulsion.
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