Suspect in Region 6 RDC robbery shot dead, another arrested

Last Updated on Wednesday, 13 September 2023, 16:28 by Denis Chabrol

A suspected thief was Wednesday afternoon shot dead and another was arrested, as Guyanese police continued to investigate the theft of an undisclosed amount of cash from the accounts department of the Region Six Regional Democratic Council (RDC) office in New Amsterdam.

The Guyana Police Force said three others escaped.

After the reported exchange of gunfire, police said they found a man sitting in the front passenger seat, his body tilted towards the driver’s seat with what appeared to be a gunshot wound to the back of his head and blood on the vehicle’s floor. He was picked up, and a handgun was found next to the gear stick.

Police said he was rushed to the New Amsterdam Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

The man, who was arrested, has been identified as 33-year old Tarrique ‘Tari’ Pollard of Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara.  Motor vehicle PSS 3448 has been lodged at the Central Police Station, New Amsterdam.

Investigators said they also found a cutlass and knives in the vehicle.

Detectives investigating an alleged early morning robbery at the RDC office in New Amsterdam, Berbice, have managed to arrest one of the suspects and are pursuing three others. Another suspect was fatally shot during an exchange of gunfire with the investigating ranks.

According to police, the confrontation started on the Heathburn Public Road, East Berbice when they ordered the driver of the car, PSS 3448, obeyed instructions to stop.

However, police said as they approached the vehicle, the suspects shot at police and the vehicle sped off. A policeman returned fire in the direction of the fleeing car.

The vehicle, with five occupants, reportedly suddenly stopped about 800 meters away, but police said by the time they reached the vehicle, they observed four persons exiting. Three of them ran to the western side of the road towards the river) while the driver lay on the ground. Investigators said while fleeing the scene, the three suspects discharged several rounds at the police.

At about 3 AM Wednesday, security guard, 60-year old Suresh Sooknanan was bound with duct tape by four men. They allegedly broke and entered the RDC office at Vryman’s Erven, New Amsterdam where they went to the Accounts Department and sawed off  internal security grills.

Police said an undisclosed sum of cash was stolen. The men left behind the bag with rolls of duct tape and hacksaws.