Bandits grab $1.8M payroll
Six guards overpowered
By Kim Lucas
Stabroek News
July 27, 2002
Bandits snatched a $1.8 million payroll early yesterday morning after overpowering six guards and nipping the locks of B.M. Enterprise Incorporated at Houston, East Bank Demerara.
The robbery occurred at about 0245 hrs and from all indications, the bandits seemed to have known where to locate the cash.
At the site yesterday, the company’s Administrative Manager, Mr G. Sowdagar explained that the robbers hid behind a tanker near the generator room and cut a hole in the fence, unknown to the guards.
“There is a hole in the fence which is normally a thoroughfare... the [bandits] hid behind the tank, clipped the fence and crept up on [the first guard]. He was only working with us for about a month. They questioned him about arms in the room, but he told them that that was just the generator room,” another official of the company stated. Bandits in recent attacks have seized and searched for firearms.
The bandits overpowered that guard and relieved him of one of three gold finger rings. While one stood guard, the other bandits rounded up and subdued the other security guards.
According to Sowdagar, three of the company’s security guards were badly beaten, while another managed to climb to safety on top of the ice plant.
The armed bandits then proceeded to the front door and nipped the locks off the grill door. Inside, the robbers went straight to the secretary’s desk and broke into the drawer where the money was kept. Sowdagar said none of the other desks was broken into. In the CEO’s office, the bandits ransacked the desk, broke into the drawers and carted off some cash. Up to yesterday afternoon, the manager could not ascertain the amount of money missing from the CEO’s office.
The company pays its employees every fortnight. “Some employees would know of where the payroll is kept. It seems that they [the bandits] knew... they didn’t tumble any of the other drawers,” the manager said in response to Stabroek News’ enquiries.
“We have been getting attacks regularly...this was the third for the year,” Sowdagar stated. He said all the company’s applications to the Ministry of Home Affairs for licences to arm guards have proved futile.
“We have not even gotten an acknowledgement,” he added. The company employs about 400 persons and has its own security division.