Police unsure of crime wave motive
Believe deportees heavily involved
Are bandits stockpiling guns?
Stabroek News
July 23, 2002
The police are uncertain of the motive behind the recent spate of banditry and killings which has gripped the country but are convinced that the flood of deportees is fuelling the spiralling crime wave.
Speaking at a press conference yesterday afternoon in the wake of the murder of three people just after midnight during a siege by gunmen in the Corentyne town of Rose Hall, Acting Commissioner of Police, Floyd McDonald, noted that the events had resulted in the deaths of two more police ranks. This brings to eight the number of policemen murdered by gunmen since April.
In addition, several firearms were stolen during the siege leading people to believe that weapons were being stockpiled by the bandits. Yesterday's incidents also saw the usual theft of cash and jewellery.
At the press conference, the Commissioner said there was evidence that some of the same bandits and deportees were involved in the spate of armed robbery, shootings and hijacking of cars over the weekend.
Only the Essequibo Coast and West Demerara were spared from the violence perpetrated by the criminals.
Apart from the robberies and killings in Berbice, a gas station was robbed at Victoria on the East Coast Demerara (See page 10), security guards were shot and their weapons taken away from them at two banks in central Georgetown and a family was terrorised and robbed on East Bank Demerara.
Deputy Commissioner of Police, Winston Felix, has gone to Berbice to assess the situation and a senior detective was sent to assist in the investigations.
"We now have two additional policemen who have been killed at the hands of bandits. They were unarmed and they were killed and that is not a good sign for this country. We have to ensure that we do not surrender this country to criminals who claim to have a cause," McDonald told reporters at the press conference at police headquarters.
Noting the large number of firearms stolen over the last weekend alone, McDonald said: "We need to make an assessment as to find out why so many firearms are being stolen and what's the purpose for this stockpiling".
He later added: "We need to do some analyses of this incident considering that five firearms have been stolen. Based on reports we have, not a very significant amount of cash and jewellery have been taken. So we need to find out what is the real motive-I cannot provide an answer right now."
Five firearms were stolen during the Berbice crimes, one from the Victoria gas station and one each from the guards at Citizens Bank and Demerara Bank on Saturday night.
The car used in the Victoria robbery, in which $100,000 was also taken, was found in Buxton yesterday afternoon by the Guyana Defence Force, the Commissioner disclosed.
He reported that four cars were stolen over the weekend and all have been recovered.
One was stolen on the East Bank Demerara and found at Yarrowkabra on the Linden-Soesdyke Highway.
One suspected to have been used in the Saturday night shooting and injuring of the security guards at the banks was found in Cowan Street, Kingston.
One was found in Albouystown and the other in the Bel Air area. "The situation is not one which we are comfortable with. Particularly when we are losing so many policemen. This is a time when we should be able to consolidate as a nation and ensure we review the number of incidents with criminality which have been occurring," McDonald stated. "The attacks on policemen and security guards are of great concern to us and if they aren't stopped great harm could be done to the society."
The Commissioner declared that the deportees' issue has always been of concern for the force. He noted that 150 have been deported to Guyana so far for this year and another large batch is expected soon. For the latter part of last year alone about 200 persons were deported to Guyana.
McDonald lamented the lack of support the force received from the media in publishing the photographs of the deportees which he said would have assisted the police tremendously.
According to him, the issue seems to have placed on the backburner and everyone took a complacent attitude to the situation.
"Based on our recent assessment we are of the view that the deportees are heavily involved in some of these incidents. The hijackings and some of the banditry that goes on. So that is indeed a problem."
To show solidarity with its injured and dead ranks the Guyana Police Force has cancelled its annual athletics championships.