Latest update December 19th, 2024 3:22 AM
Bandits posing as Custom Officers rob Patentia Business
The Boodramlalls family business where the robbery was committed.
Five bandits posing as Custom Officers, complete with handcuffs, radios and guns robbed the Deo & Sons Wholesale depot at Wales, West Bank Demerara, yesterday, around 13:00 hours.
Gayatri Boodramlall and Deonarine Boodramlall, the proprietors of the business located at 278 Patentia, WBD, are counting losses in excess of $900,000.
Individuals dressed like Custom Officers, came to the premises just after 13:00 hours and demanded to see the boss, claiming that they wanted to search the bond to see if all the items there had taxes paid.
Mrs. Boodramlall had just minutes before, pulled in the grill to the business, since she does so every day at that time. The slow rate of business allowed her to proceed to prepare lunch for her husband and kids. Only two of the four kids where home at the time.
Moments later, she heard sounds coming from the front like someone trying to open the grill that she had just closed.
She ventured out to see what was the raucous about, only to find men dressed in white shirt jac, dark blue pants and wearing shine black shoes, making attempts to enter the business, Mrs. Boodramlall at first glance took the individuals for Customs Officers, since from time to time Customs would come and check their business.
The men got the gate open and entered, then asked for the boss. Mrs. Boodramlall told them to wait and went and called her husband.
On her return, the men told her and her husband that they wanted to see the bond. Mrs. Boodramlall led two of the so-called Custom Officers to the bond, while three of them waited at the front of the shop.
Her husband, at this time, was getting up his documents, to show the men that he had paid his taxes up to date.
The men then asked to see who else was in the house, Mrs. Boodramlall told them that two of her children were upstairs, to which the men requested to go upstairs and see them.
This came as no surprise to the Boodramlall’s, since when Customs came on previous occasions, they asked to see the upstairs and whoever else was home.
It was then the Boodramlalls would realize that they were being robbed. When they reached upstairs, the bandits had them all together. They took out gloves and put them on, and drew their guns.
They told the family to lay on the floor. The Boodramlalls who were robbed twice before, were very calm. This caused one of the bandits to take out the magazine from his gun and show them and telling them, “We ain’t joking; we gonna kill you if we don’t get some money.”
The Boodramlalls handed over $500,000 in cash, after which the bandits took all the cell phones in the house.
The bandits also took the DVR system, which stores all the video footage from the house and businesses security cameras. They then warned the Boodramlalls, not to follow them since that would have dire consequences.
After a few minutes, when the family thought the coast was clear, they got up and called neighbours and told them what had happened. The police were called, and responded promptly.
When the Boodramlalls ventured downstairs, only then did they realize that the three bandits who were downstairs, were not just looking out, but were actually packing rum and other items, in bags, which they took with them.
Mrs. Boodramlall said the men were all of African descent and varied in age from 25 to 35. The household expressed thanks for still having life, and the fact that their children were not hurt.
One of the two children who was home is preparing for CAPE, and another is about to write CSEC.
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