Bandits beat, rob New Hope , EBD family

 

Four gunmen escaped with over $130,000 and a quantity of jewellery at around 19:45 hrs last night, after invading a shopkeeper's home at New Hope, East Bank Demerara.

The thieves, who came on foot, rode off on bicycles that they had stolen from the home after spraying the occupants with a noxious substance.

Zoreena Mohamed, 44, an occupant of the house, was beaten in the head with a handgun and stripped of her wedding ring and other jewellery.

The family of five as well as four youths who live near the victims, were at the home when the bandits struck.

The four youths and two other family members were in the verandah when a man entered the yard.

One of the youths said that he assumed that the man was a customer until the stranger drew a handgun and ordered them inside. The bandit was joined by three other men who also had handguns.

On entering the house, the men ordered the occupants to lie on the floor, while demanding that Zoreena Mohamed hand over the family's valuables. After being beaten and kicked, the woman gave the men a sum of money as well as her jewellery.

The men then grabbed two cellular phones, a pair of boots and, after spraying the victims with a burning substance, fled on four bicycles which they had taken from the house.