Five bandits, two of whom were armed with "one long and one short gun", attacked and robbed a family at Timmers Dam, Angoy's Avenue in New Amsterdam of $4,000 and a quantity of gold jewellery worth $130,000 around 1:50 am yesterday.

 

The bandits who gained entry to the two-flat building by breaking a louvre window and removing a few wooden bars also carted off a cell phone. Stabroek News learnt that two of the bandits were masked.

After entering the house the men fired several shots and demanded cash and jewellery from the occupants, Maureen Pablo, who is in her 50s, her daughter, Brenda Junior, 28, son-in-law, Victor Junior, 32, and her grandchildren. Police reportedly recovered a warhead from the door.

The bandits gun-butted Victor Junior and Pablo on their head and nose respectively and they had to be treated at the New Amsterdam Hospital.

When this newspaper arrived at the scene yesterday morning the family was busy cleaning up the mess the bandits made and was too terrified to talk about their ordeal. A bullet hole was observed on the wall of the house.

In frustration, Pablo shouted "everything done happen already; no reporter can't clean up the mess or give me money." She was also grumbling that she visited the hospital and had to spend a long time before she could get through, while others came after her and were attended to before her.

Neighbours recounted that they were awakened to the sound of loud banging on the family's door which lasted for about 15 minutes, followed by the gunshots. They said they were too afraid to look out.

One resident said the area is noted for having robberies and he is afraid of venturing out in certain sections alone. According to him, he would often would hear gunshots ringing out but prefers not to find out where the shots were coming from because "dangerous elements are living right within the area." (Shabna Ullah)