Gunmen strike at La Penitence Market stall

Nov 13, 2015 News

Vendors of the La Penitence Market on Saffon Street are calling for more security during shopping hours. This call follows a daring daytime robbery committed by two gunmen yesterday on stallholder Mahabeer Chunilall.
The man and his wife Ranie were held up by the robbers while they were conducting business at their grocery stall.
Recounting events, Chunilall said at about 15:15 hrs two “young boys” came through the middle gate of the market and before they knew it, one placed a gun to his person.
“He pointed the gun to me and said don’t move, and the other one open the stall door, walked in and picked up the two boxes of money containing the day’s sales.”

The stall which the gunmen robbed

The owner points to the spot where the bullet struck

Most of the stalls were closed, and according to Chunilall, no constable was around at the time.
“Those constables were at the back of the market at the time and here at the market is a set of females stationed,” the stallholder for more than twenty years recounted.
The man’s wife was also in the shop. She said, “Dem youngsters fired one shot at me and missed, after I step away in the shop.” The bullet left a hole in the wall.
After the unmasked youngsters collected the money boxes they walked out of the market through the back gate and entered a white station wagon.
The stallholder said he had applied for a firearm since 1998 and is yet to get one.