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Mystery arsonist spreads fear at Lethem

MAY 6, 2016 | BY | FILED UNDER NEWS 

– torches minibus, throws devices into two houses
Who is setting those fires at Tabatinga, Lethem?
That’s what terrified residents of the community are trying to find out, after a mystery arsonist torched a minibus late last month and threw incendiary devices into the bedrooms of an elderly woman and a Health official early yesterday. Fortunately, in both instances, the victims of yesterday’s attacks managed to put the fires out.
The culprit, who attacks just before dawn, first struck on April 27, at the home of Bernadene Gomes. Mrs. Gomes said that she awoke at around 03.00 hrs that day to the sight of “big flames” in her yard.
“When we got up, smoke was in the house and the bus was on fire.” She said that the vehicle, BPP 1126, was destroyed. The bus was worth some $8M and she had the vehicle for four years. Her property is fenced.
Mrs. Gomes said that she could think of no one who would want to harm her family. She admitted that the strange attack has left her unable to sleep soundly.
“I keep going over this thing. You can’t sleep, we are living in fear right now.”
It is believed that the same individual struck twice yesterday.
One victim, 68-year-old Bibi Ann Austin, lives three houses away from Mrs. Gomes.
Mrs. Austin said that she had gone to her washroom, then returned to bed, only to awake at around 04.30 hrs to find that her mosquito net and some of her louvre panes were on fire.
She managed to extinguish the flames, and later heard her dog chasing someone “up the road.” The pensioner said that she informed ranks at the Lethem Police Station of the attack, but the ranks never came.
Like her neighbour, she has no idea why someone would want to harm her.
Then, about 30 minutes later, the arsonist attacked at the home of Regional Environmental Officer Juanita Jerrick-Williams.
Mrs. Williams said that she was in bed with three of her five children. The health officer said that she was just getting out of bed to pray, when she felt “something wet” on her back.
“By the time I turned around, I saw fire on my bed and mosquito net. I saw a shadow running to an unfinished building next to me, but we were too busy putting out the fire.”
No one was hurt, but the hair of her 12-year-old daughter was singed.
She said that the police came and saw footprints in her yard.
Mrs. Williams said that she has worked in Lethem for some 24 years, and has no problems with anyone.
Police sources at Lethem confirmed that they are investigating the reports.

FM
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