Mourners set upon, robbed in Buxton
Stabroek News
September 25, 2002
A group of mourners driving through Buxton, East Coast Demerara was stripped of cash and jewellery last evening. The incident reportedly occurred shortly after 6:00 pm in front of the Church of God.
One of the passengers, who requested anonymity, told Stabroek News last night that she, her husband and another friend were heading home in a taxi from Triumph, another East Coast Demerara village, when their path was blocked by two buses. They were returning home after visiting a "funeral house".
Within a matter of seconds, the woman said, there were sounds of gunshots and almost simultaneously, two youths were spotted running from one of the buses, while a third youth emerged from the other.
Before they knew what was happening, the woman said four young, gun-toting men had surrounded the car, demanding jewellery and money. They also fired several shots in the air on approaching the car. "Like I get bassidy when they start fire [but] I hide me purse," the passenger said.
The bandits reportedly snatched the driver's pouch, which contained his license and other documents, as well as $9,000 he in his possession and the tape deck in the car; while the woman's friend lost her two wedding rings and about $1,500 cash.
The woman said she, too, was stripped of her wedding band. "Is 34 years me married me husband and that ring deh on meh finger..." she lamented last night. It was also her husband's 56th birthday yesterday and, he, too, was stripped of his valuables.
According to the woman, the two buses drove off as they were being robbed. She said as the young men were leaving them, she heard them remark: "Look a 4x4 coming deh!"
The woman said she was urging the taxi driver to report the matter to the nearby Vigilance Police Station, but as they drove up, the gate appeared locked, so they continued their journey home. (Kim Lucas)