Tomb raiders tell cops they heard corpse was buried ‘with plenty money’
-face simple larceny, damage to property charges
Two men who were arrested on Thursday for breaking into the tomb of 19-year-old Vishnu Samaroo at the Hampshire Burial Ground in Corentyne, Berbice, confessed to police that they committed the act after they heard that the body was buried “with plenty money.”
This is according to Regional Commander Boodnarine Persaud who told the News Room that the suspects confessed to the crime on Friday.
Roopchand Thomas called ‘Lil Shawn’, 19, and Leon Scott, 25, both labourers of Hampshire Squatting Area, Berbice, are in police custody.
They will face two charges each of simple larceny and damage to property on Monday at the Albion Magistrate’s Court.
During their confession, the men reportedly told investigating ranks that they broke into the tomb with a crow bar and stole a cellular phone and jewellery from the corpse. They said they discarded the jewellery in a trench “because it was artificial, and it got black.”
They pawned the cellphone for money.
According to the Commander, ranks were led to the pawn shop and the owner was arrested, questioned and released; the phone was, however, recovered.
The tomb raiders have, however, denied any knowledge of the money that was reportedly buried in the tomb with the teenager’s body.
The young boy died after he had been battling cancer for some time. His father, Awad Samaroo, told the News Room that he usually visits his son’s grave every day.
On Tuesday last, he left the tomb intact and returned to his Belvedere, Corentyne house. But when he returned on Wednesday at about 14:00hrs, the man was shocked to find the tomb was broken into and his son’s body outside.
The thieves dragged the corpse of the young Samaroo several feet away from the tomb.
The father claimed that close to $70,000 was also on the body of his son when they buried him and that that too was missing.
