Slain bandit’s girlfriend held for helping accomplice escape

Feb 27, 2016 News

The bandit who was shot dead by his own accomplice during Thursday night’s gas station robbery is notorious criminal, Jermaine Jerrick, who was part of a gang that had terrorized gold miners and shop owners at

Slain bandit Jermaine Jerrick

Aranka six years ago.
He was also wanted for stabbing a policeman during a daring escape from the Cove and John Police Station in 2013. However, no wanted bulletin was issued for him despite his wounding the rank and subsequent escape.
Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum said that Jerrick, 35, of Ann’s Grove, East Coast Demerara, was also part of a gang that was operating between the East Coast of Demerara and Berbice.
Blanhum said that the bandit who shot Jerrick is known to the police.
“We have vital information about him and we are working on it,” the Crime Chief said.
Police have detained Jerrick’s girlfriend, after receiving information that she helped the accomplice to escape.
Jerrick gained notoriety back in 2010, when police linked him to a gang that had carried out a spate of robberies at Aranka, Cuyuni.
Jerrick also made the news in March 2011 when he severely wounded prison inmate, Randy Joseph, a former Buxton gang member, during a fracas in the Georgetown Prison compound when they were both on remand.
Then in July, 2013, he escaped from the Cove and John Police Station, and stabbed Constable Elton Benjamin in the neck, when the rank tried to apprehend him.
It took one of Jerrick’s own accomplices to bring his criminal career to an abrupt end.
Around 19.30 hrs last Thrsday, Jerrick, armed with a knife, and his accomplice, who had a handgun, entered Arif’s Service Station at Onderneeming, West Coast Berbice.
Five employees, including three female pump attendants and a manager, were on duty.
The bandits immediately went to one of the pump attendants and relieved her of about $80,000. But then they saw the manager, who was sitting at a desk and the bandit with the gun reportedly said “Oh, is that big man got the money.”
The manager was reportedly about to press an alarm when both bandits rushed at him. It was then that Jerrick’s accomplice opened fire, shooting Jerrick in the head and killing him instantly.
Police said that the gunman then relieved a driver of a silver grey Toyota Allion, PTT 2704, and escaped.
The vehicle was recovered at Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice, some three villages away from the scene of the robbery.
Fazlim Haniff, the service station proprietor, said that most of his employees were still too terrified to return to work yesterday.
Mr. Haniff, who was not present when the attack occurred, confirmed that the robbery was recorded on security cameras at the facility.
Back in September 2014, two masked robbers escaped with an undisclosed sum of money, two cellular phones, and two bags containing workers’ dinner after storming the same fuel station.