Bandits cart off $$M after invading storeowner’s home
– four-year-old among victims bound and terrorized
Masked gunmen terrorized and tied up a Bagotstown, East Bank Demerara family, before escaping with millions in cash and jewellery, during a brazen attack last evening at around 20:00 hrs, at R. Gossai and Sons General Store.
The 63-year-old businessman, Rabindranauth Gossai, was gun-butted to the head during the approximately 25-minute ordeal. He had to seek medical treatment.
The store is located in the vicinity of the Demerara Harbour Bridge, but it appears that few persons realised that a robbery had occurred.
The business was closed at the time of the attack, but the gunmen scaled a concrete fence at the northern end after cutting through razor-wire at the top. They then hid in the yard.
At around 20.00 hrs, Joey Gossai, the businessman’s son, came outside and went to the back of the property. Three masked men with guns then pounced on him, and took him into the house.
The bandits were joined by three others, who ordered Joey Gossai, his mother, Phyllis Gossai, his dad and four-year-old son to lie face-down on the kitchen floor. They then began to ransack every area of the two-storey property.
Mrs. Gossai said that they also relieved her of a gold chain, and estimates that the robbers carted off about a million in jewellery along with a Digital Video Recorder.
Kaieteur News understands that the bandits also located a substantial sum of cash, but kept demanding more. Mrs. Gossai said they struck her husband in the head, while telling him to show them “the safe,” and “the gun”.
They eventually fled the scene, though the victims were unable to say what mode of transportation was used.
Mr. Gossai reportedly freed himself and then untied the other victims. He was taken to a hospital.
Police arrived about an hour later. There were no reports of any arrests.