Downtown Georgetown

Evidence of heightened security consciousness in the business sector and the presence in recent months of heavily armed foot patrols on city streets have apparently not been enough to stem the flow of robberies that have afflicted the urban business centre. During the first three months of this year businesses were relieved of cash, diamonds, gold jewellery and other valuables totalling more than $200m. Statistics compiled on the basis of reported crimes during the period reveal that armed robberies persisted and accounted for around $165M while fraud, theft, larceny and break anfd enter - accounted for the remaining $58M.

The biggest single heist during the first three months of 2007 occurred on March 2 when three armed bandits relieved Bulgian national Krim Detarzo of diamonds worth around $92M as he was about to enter the Courtyard at Main Street in Georgetown. The arrest of two persons for the diamond heist marked a particular exception to the rule since arrests arising out of armed robberies are few.

The first quarter of the current year accounted for 76 reported robberies of which number amounts in excess of one million dollars was carried off on 21 separate occasions. On February 17, cambio dealer Linman Sookdeo was robbed of $20M in cash by three gunmen in Nandy Park on the East Bank Demerara while a New Year's day heist at Sookraj Cambio on Regent Street netted the bandits around $16m in cash. More than two months after the February 18 disappearance of $8M from one of its ARM terminals the Republic Bank appears no closer to determining the perpetrators of the crime though it might have done its public more harm than good by sacking some of its employees after they had reportedly been subjected to thorough and discomfiting interrogation by the police.

Just over a week later, on February 27, the Colonial Life and General Insurance Company (CLICO) disclosed the disappearance of $16M from its accounts and once again members of staff were at the centre of its investigations. The same day armed bandits helped themselves to $8m before the robbers escaped across the Demerara River in a speedboat while during the same period the Guyana Post Office Corporation fell victim to two separate robberies totalling more than $8m.

The available evidence indicates that bandits continue to secure ready access to weapons and police sources say that the proliferation of cellular phones may actually account for aspects of the planning of what often appears to be well-planned jobs. The trend of armed robberies also suggest that bandits have a preference for operating in small groups, preferably twos or threes. Of the robberies committed in 2007, no less than 30 involved two persons while 16 of the heists were perpetrated by three persons. Women were reportedly involved in three of the robberies perpetrated during the first three months of 2007. Most of these incidents were attended by acts of violence and or threats of physical harm. The trend of armed robberies being committed by juveniles is also on the rise.

Street patrol

Both the Guyana Police Force and private security organizations have been subjected to public criticism for what is widely felt to be their ability either to avert robberies or to arrest the perpetrators. Several months ago President of the Guyana Association of Private Security Organizatons (GAPSO) and Chief Executive Officer of the security firm RK's Security Service Roshan Khan conceded that the spate of armed robberies that have occurred in recent years and the violence that has attended many of those incidents appear to have precipitated the resignation from private security services of a number of experienced guards and dimmed the enthusiasm of potential applicants for employment as guards. Police sources too have questioned the professionalism and competence of some guard services, pointing out that in many cases guards represent no more than "a presence" and are not equipped to respond to robbery-related emergencies.

The police have themselves come under even greater criticism from the business community and the public for what they say is a low apprehension rate. The police have blamed a shortage of resources for what, in many cases, has been the slow response time to emergencies and the move late Ladst year to deploy armed emergency response units to the streets of the capital was seen as a 'stepping up" of the fight against armed criminals.

Meanwhile, both the government through former Home Affairs Minister Gail Teixeira and the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce have called on businessmen to take their own initiatives to "beef up" security in and around their premises through the use of electronic equipment. While there is evidence of increased security at some business places including banks several businessmen have claimed that the cost of electronic security is prohibitive and have persisted with private security guards.