America St robbery Reward offered for information on `Blackie' -five detainees out on bail Editorial Stabroek News September 28, 1999 The police yesterday released on bail five persons who were held in connection with the armed robbery on an America Street cambio last week and are offering rewards for information on two men allegedly involved in the crime. Attorney-at-law Joseph Harmon, who was retained by the five, told Stabroek News last night that his clients were released on $5,000 bail each. Harmon said the group comprised three men, who were held at the Brickdam Police Station, and two women, who were incarcerated at the East La Penitence Police Station. The five persons were picked up by the police at different times over the weekend. An orthopaedic technician was among those detained. In addition to the five, the police have also held one of the suspected bandits and a taxi driver. A police press release issued yesterday said the police are continuing their efforts to bring to justice the bandits who were involved in the robbery. A $250,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of suspected gang leader Linden London known as 'Blackie', 'Stan', 'Mr DaSilva', and 'James Hector'. A further $250,000 is being offered for information leading to the capture of Andrew Peter Douglas who is suspected to have been involved in the robbery. The police said Douglas, 38, of 127 King Edward Street, Albouystown, and 33 Crane Housing Scheme, West Coast Demerara, was released from prison in May after being sentenced in 1995 on charges of causing death by dangerous driving, break and enter and larceny and possession of house-breaking implements. The police assured that all information would be held in the strictest confidence. Police Commissioner Laurie Lewis said last week that persons had claimed that police ranks had in the past leaked the source of information when members of the public called in to give the police leads during investigations. Lewis said a system is now being implemented where a person could call in anonymously to the police and report on the activity. He noted that the information would be inadmissible evidence but could act as a guide to the police in their investigations. Deputy Commissioner Floyd McDonald, said at the press conference shared with the commissioner and Traffic Chief Paul Slowe last week that there is a system where the local police are part of a communications network with countries comprising some 140 member states. Bulletins are issued on criminals on the run and a look-out is kept for them. This has been implemented in this case and McDonald credited the system with the successful capture of the notorious Dale Moore and an accomplice in Brazil a few months ago, he said. Moore had been on the run from the local police for a few years now. He said Guyana is also one of the six countries involved in the Regional Organised Counter Crime Information Sharing System which is presently going through a trial period. Touching on increased violent crimes in the country, Lewis blamed the presence of deportees as a major reason. He said the deportees have distanced themselves from the actual execution of the crimes, and this poses a difficulty to the police, but since their increased presence in Guyana the number of violent crimes have risen. "We do not have a large number of deportees identified in violent crimes. But we can speak with authority and say that since the large influx of deportees, there has been an increase in the violent crimes and an increase in the callous nature of crimes," Lewis declared. "One can draw the inference that the influx of a large number of deportees has contributed to this development," he stated. Four armed bandits executed a daring mid-morning robbery on D. Singh and Sons cambio last Wednesday using high powered weapons in the busy downtown America Street. They also robbed an illegal roadside cambio and injured five persons including a police corporal. One bandit was killed in a shoot-out with the police. The manager of D. Singh and Sons said the cambio reopened for business yesterday. He said an employee, Vishnu Narine, who was shot through the leg by the bandits is back on the job. He is nursing a swollen leg. A © page from: Guyana: Land of Six Peoples