Alleged mastermind in theft of guns & ammo from security firm detained
By Michael Jordan
Detectives from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) have detained five men who reportedly orchestrated the Boxing Day theft of several firearms from the Radar Security and Supplies Company.
Big Smith News Watch was informed that a senior official from the security firm who is in custody, is believed to be the mastermind behind the December 26, 2022 robbery.
On Friday afternoon, one of the suspects took a team of investigators to a location in South Ruimveldt where two of the stolen weapons were recovered.
The Guyana Police Force had reported that over 10 weapons were stolen between 10:00 hours on December 25, and 18:30 hours on December 26, 2022, Radar Security and Supplies office at Carmichael Street, Georgetown.
They include two single-barrel shotguns valued at $950,000; four 9mm Taurus Pistols valued at $1,400,000; five Taurus .32 pistols valued at $1,425,000; 25 12 gauge cartridges, 538 .32 ammunition, and 18 9mm rounds of ammunition.
According to the police, there is an office to the western side of the building housing the security firm. The office has a wooden door to the eastern side, secured with a manufactured Yale lock.
The firm’s firearms and ammunition were reportedly secured in a steel ‘strongbox’ in the office.
It is alleged that on Christmas Day, the firm’s Chief Security Officer, a 72-year-old from Guyhoc Park, checked the firearms and all were intact. Around 18:30 hours on Boxing Day, a 65-year-old Weapons Training Officer from Enterprise, East Coast Demerara, visited the location and reportedly observed that the door to the office was not secured, but rather it was left ajar. He then entered the office, where he observed that the padlocks on the strongbox were cut off, the chain that secured the firearms was also cut, and several firearms were missing. Two other shotguns were left in the strongbox.
The Weapons Training Officer then informed the owner of the security service.
When police investigators arrived at the scene, they found no sign of forced entry to the office.
The 57-year-old security guard claimed that at 17:00 hours on Boxing Day, he took over duty from a 36-year-old security guard from Paradise Housing Scheme, who handed over the key for the office that housed the strongbox.
He said that he did not check the office door, nor did he go into the office. He was arrested, and a search was carried out at his home, but nothing was found. The Weapons Training Officer was also arrested and questioned, and his home was searched, but nothing was found.
