Hague Residents Assist Police in Capturing Armed Robbery Suspect; Hunt Continues for Three Accomplices

In a remarkable display of community solidarity, residents of Hague, West Coast Demerara, played a pivotal role in assisting police officers in capturing a suspect involved in an armed robbery on Friday, September 13, 2024. The robbery occurred in broad daylight, targeting the home of a businesswoman in Middle Street, Ruimzeight.

The heist, which unfolded at approximately 12:40 PM, involved four suspects, three of whom were armed with handguns. The assailants stormed the businesswoman’s home, where they threatened her and her two employees, both goldsmiths, stealing gold jewelry and cell phones. The 52-year-old businesswoman was initially held at gunpoint in her kitchen as the armed men demanded more valuables from the goldsmith workshop located on the lower flat of her house.

During the robbery, a shot was fired, which alerted nearby residents. As the suspects attempted to escape in a white Allion motor car, residents quickly intervened, blocking the road and forcing the vehicle to stop. Realizing they could not escape by car, the robbers abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot toward the Ruimzeight backlands.

Upon arriving at the scene, police officers from Regional Division #3 found 50-year-old fireman and taxi driver Garfield Benjamin tied up in the back seat of the abandoned vehicle. According to Benjamin, the suspects had commandeered his taxi in Vreed-en-Hoop, tied him up, and left him in the car while they carried out the robbery.

Thanks to the swift actions of the Hague residents, one of the suspects was apprehended shortly after the crime. The captured individual has since confessed and provided details on the other three accomplices, prompting an ongoing police manhunt.

Investigators are actively working on leads as they seek to apprehend the remaining suspects and recover the stolen items. The police have commended the courage and quick thinking of the Hague community, whose efforts contributed to the swift arrest of one of the perpetrators.