Three bandits stuck up workers at the Edwin Parsaram Gas Station at Port Mourant early yesterday morning and escaped with some $400,000.

Manager Pamela Kissoon told this newspaper that the robbery took place around 2.30 am. She said she received a call from the security firm, GEB, saying that thieves had broken into the premises.

According to her, she immediately called the Williamsburg Police Outpost. This number, she said, kept ringing out. "Every time I call this number when something happen I never get through," she lamented.

She then called the Whim Police Station and was told that the patrol was on its way. She decided then to call the pump attendant on his cellular phone. When she did, she said, she heard "talking" but no one really answered the phone. She said she could hear someone asking for money and the keys to the office and threatening to harm her workers. This, she said, caused her to tremble. She then left her home to go to the gas station.

On arrival at the gas station around 3 am, Kissoon said, she was greeted by six policemen. She said they told her, "'three seconds more and we coulda ketch them.' Sergeant tell we, we can't shoot because the place could blow up."

According to her the police did not pursue the bandits. Instead, they went to release the security guard and pump attendant who had been handcuffed together. Kissoon was upset at the police's lack of action. "If the police were so close to the bandits why didn't they catch them? I can't understand this. All they do is hussle fuh take out the handcuff from the boy."

She said she had a close relationship with the police and usually gave them gas if they were low on fuel.

Kissoon said this was the second time the gas station was robbed in two years, and the last time the same thing happened.

The guard related to her that there were three bandits with handkerchiefs on their faces. He told her one had a gun which was placed to the head of the pump attendant, while they were told to remain still as they (the bandits) had not come for them, they had come for money. Neither of them was hurt.

Kissoon estimated the loss to be in the region of $400,000, which includes daily sales from gas, Lotto sales, and other miscellaneous cash.

She said she felt she has been targeted as her home had also been robbed four times.

The police are investigating. (Adrian Smith)