Six cars hijacked, deserted in hours
Stabroek News
August 12, 2002
Six cars were hijacked and abandoned in five hours between Saturday night and yesterday morning by criminals as a crime spree continues unabated.
The carjackers appeared to playing musical chairs as two cars were abandoned and two others hijacked nearby.
According to a press release yesterday from the Guyana Police Force motor-car HA 9776, a Toyota Sprinter was found abandoned in Caneview Avenue, South Ruimveldt. The release said that the vehicle was hijacked at Turning Point, Tucville from its driver/owner of West Demerara by three armed men.
HA 7020, a white Toyota Sprinter was found abandoned at William Street, Campbellville after it was carjacked at Caneview, Avenue, South Ruimveldt from its owner of James and Victoria Street, Albouystown.
And PHH 680, a blue green Toyota Marino, was found abandoned at Norton Street, Lodge after it was hijacked at Garnett Street, Campbellville.
The release further said that HA 9852, Toyota Corona, was found abandoned at Garnett and Middleton Street, Kitty. It was hijacked from the owner at Rosa Drive, South Ruimveldt Gardens.
The police also said that PHH 2587 a silver grey Toyota Carina, was found at Agricola, East Bank Demerara.
And HA 6273, a silver grey Toyota Carina was found abandoned at Rosa Drive South Ruimveldt Park.
This is said to be the largest number of hijackings in one night since a crime wave started earlier this year. What is puzzling law enforcers is why all the cars were abandoned.
The driver of PHH 2587 yesterday told Stabroek News how he was on the Front Road in West Ruimveldt heading east when he was forced to stop by a man who was standing in the middle of the road at around 2 a.m.
The man said he had just made a drop off and because the road was narrow there was no way he could have passed the man without hitting him. He said as soon as he stopped the car another man, who was at the corner of the road and whom he did not see initially, went up to him and placed a gun to his head asking him “you ready for this action?” According to the man while he was being spoken to by the gunman the other man who was standing in the middle of the road rushed into the car and sat next to him and the other man also got in.
He said he was instructed to drive to Agricola and after he entered the village he was forced to stop and the bandits relieved him of a ring made of gold and silver and a gold earring. The man also had $29,000 in an ashtray in the car and the bandits also took that along with a portable compact disc player.
The man said the two then attempted to force him into the trunk of the car but he resisted and they opted to place him in the back seat and one of them sat next to him with a gun trained at his head. He said the other took the driver’s seat and was heading out of the village when the bandit who was next to him noticed that he (the taxi driver) had his head up. He ordered him to keep his head down and in the same process the bandit fired a shot which grazed the taxi driver’s forehead causing his accomplice to lose control of the car which then crashed into a culvert in the street.
The man said that he then kept his head between his feet and the bandit in front asked his colleague if he had shot the man and both of them jumped out of the car and ran away. The man said he then sought assistance from residents who helped him to get his car off the culvert. The police were later contacted and they recovered the spent shell and took possession of the car.
The taxi driver yesterday said that it was an ordeal he will never forget. (Samantha Alleyne)