Anglicans robbed inside church at gun-point

Last Updated on Sunday, 2 November 2014, 14:07 by GxMedia

The St. Phillip’s Anglican Church.

Several parishioners of St. Phillip’s Anglican Church were Sunday morning robbed of cash and jewellery three armed men shortly before Mass was about to begin.

“We were just about to begin our morning Mass…and I heard this shouting telling people give me what you have but we just locked ourselves in the vestry until they went away,” Father Oswald Barnes told reporters. The incident occurred about 7:25 AM at the historic place of worship located at St. Phillip’s Green, Werk-en-Rust between Smyth Street and High Streets.

There are conflicting accounts of how many persons were robbed, with one person saying 15 and the priest saying four Father Barnes said that among those robbed was the Church’s Treasurer. The bandits took away GUY$300 away from him but left behind an envelope that contained a large quantity of cash, said the priest.

An eyewitness said the bandits arrived on pedal cycles and one of them whipped out a gun at the northern entrance to the church, demanding valuables and cash from several persons. Two others remained outside and also robbed anyone in sight including a chauffeur who takes an elderly person to worship. No one was injured.

Father Barnes expressed grave concern that the society has “descended so low that we just can expect anything now and then we have to look and pray to God for some state of affairs where we can have a service without being fearful.” The priest said that steps would be taken o beef up security around the church to “look over our church during Mass.” “We would be looking at it and taking steps to ensure that people are not scared when they are worshiping.”