Four masked men allegedly tied up a security guard and stole $500,000 and his cellphone during a break-in at a Kitty lumber yard early Saturday.
The robbery was reported at about 1:30 a.m. on Saturday at Home Builders Lumber Yard, Lot 36 Campbell Avenue, Kitty.
The Guyana Police Force identified the guard as 51-year-old Naresh Persaud of Thomas Street, Kitty. The stolen cash belonged to the yard’s proprietor, 75-year-old Krishna Seegopaul. Persaud’s black Samsung cellphone, valued at $23,000, was also taken.
Police said Persaud told investigators he was sleeping in a hammock between the office and lumber yard when one of the suspects woke him, allegedly choked him and warned him to stay quiet. Another suspect reportedly bound his hands, feet and mouth with grey duct tape and covered his face with a cloth.
The men allegedly took Persaud’s cellphone before breaking into the office. They reportedly removed the cash from a cabinet on the southern side of the building and fled.
Persaud managed to free himself and raise an alarm. He ran across the road to a security guard at a nearby business, then contacted a lumber yard manager, 70-year-old Hardath Tinsarran, who reported the robbery to police.
Ranks visited the scene at about 6:00 a.m. and photographed and processed the area. Police said they found a blue metal crowbar, which was taken to Kitty Police Station. No fingerprints were recovered.
Investigators canvassed the area and identified CCTV cameras, but the footage has not yet been reviewed. Several people have been questioned, though police said they had not obtained useful information. Searches for the suspects were unsuccessful.
The investigation is continuing.
