US citizens robbed shortly after arriving in Guyana

Five persons, four of whom arrived from the United States of America on Friday, were held at gunpoint and robbed of close to $500,000, along with their passports and valuable items.

The victims are of Coomacka Mines, Linden, and the United States and are members of the Coomacka Church of Christ.

Reports are that 64-year-old Darlene Gaines, 60-year-old Joe Hughes, 19-year-old Daisy Gaines-Sluss, 40-year-old Christina Gaines-Sluss and 40-year-old Robin Collins were proceeding east along Leopold Street in a minibus which transported them from the airport to do shopping in Georgetown.

At around 13:00hrs, it is alleged that the minibus, driven by Wayne’s Collins of Coomacka Mines, Linden, slowed down at Leopold and Breeda Streets, Werk En Rust, Georgetown to allow other vehicles to pass.

Upon coming to a stop, an armed man walked to the driver and held him at gunpoint. The suspect also pulled out the minibus keys while three of his accomplices rushed to relieve the occupants of their valuables.

Gaines was robbed of one Samsung Galaxy S8 cell phone valued $140,000 and a quantity of medications valued $80,000. Hughes was robbed of US$800, while Christina Gaines-Sluss was relieved of US$1,300, her passport and other documents.

The 19-year-old victim was relieved of one MP3 Player valued G$5,000 and her passport, while Collins, a housewife of Coomacka Mines, Linden, was robbed of one Samsung Galaxy S4 valued G$40,000, one LG cell phone valued $40,000 and $9000 cash.

The suspects then all made good their escape on foot.

Investigations are ongoing.