Young bandits killing victims for gold jewellery a worrying trend
– senior police official
Police say they have observed what appears to be an emerging trend in which criminals are killing their victims for their gold jewellery.
“The perpetrators are very young persons, and the confessions we get are almost identical, in that the suspects had their victims under surveillance prior to committing the act,” a senior police rank said.
“More noteworthy is the fact that they targeted the victims for their gold jewellery and they were brutally murdered. The impression imposed by the suspects is that they are determined to get your property ‘by any means necessary.’ In one case, the suspects confessed that they had earlier observed the victim wearing several pieces of gold jewellery. Hence they hatched a plan to rob him at his residence, and in the process he was shot and killed.”
The official also identified Haymant Persaud, the brother of Commissioner of Police, Seelalal Persaud, as a victim of robbers who were prepared to kill their target for his jewellery.
Murdered for his jewellery: Andre Alexander
Murdered for his gold chain: Beepat Taijram
Haymant Persaud, of Affiance, Essequibo Coast, was stabbed to death on February 19, allegedly by a 15-year-old, who relieved him of his gold chain before making good his escape in a bus. The suspect has been charged.
An even more recent target was Sophia bread vendor Andre Alexander, who was shot dead on May 5 by bandits at ‘C’ Field Sophia, Georgetown.
“He was observed wearing three gold rings…and like the other victims, he was targeted and killed in the process,” the police official said.
Police have charged two suspects with Alexander’s murder.
There are others.
On July 29, 2014, Bernadette Campbell, known for wearing lots of gold jewellery, was sitting in the front seat of a Plaisance-bound bus, when a passenger shot her in the stomach and stripped her of her jewellery.
Campbell succumbed almost three months after the attack.
In February, 2015, minibus driver and ex-policeman Beepat Taijram, 28, known as “Biggs,” was driving in the vicinity of Golden Grove, East Bank Demerara, when he was shot dead and robbed of his gold chain by two passengers.