Suspects confess to Boxing Night robbery of Vreed-en-Hoop gas station

Two men who reportedly robbed the Sridat Service Station located at New Road Vreed-En-Hoop, West Coast Demerara on December 26, were arrested and have reportedly confessed to the crime.

Police Headquarters reported that 23-year-old Navindra Kunik of Lot 73 De Kinderen, West Coast Demerara (WCD) and Dinesh George, 21, of Lot 101 West Meten-Meer-Zorg, WCD robbed the service station of one 9mm Smith and Wesson pistol with one magazine containing 15 live matching ammunition, a driver’s license and National ID card belonging to the owner, 50-year-old Ganga Deo Sridat, and an undisclosed amount of cash.

The incident occurred at about 22:30 hrs when four masked and armed men attacked the gas station.

At the time of the attack, 35-year-old Jermain Maxwell, a pump attendant, was working at the gas station.

A Police report noted that the owner had just arrived at the business place and while exiting his car, two armed masked men approached him; one of them hit him with an object to the head and asked him for the money and his firearm.

Sridat told the bandits that he did not have any cash or firearm in his possession after which the two other bandits searched him and found his weapon and wallet.

They forced the businessman to open the door to the shop at the gas station and then asked for the keys to the safe; they retrieved the keys from the guard hut and removed the cash from the safe after which they tied up the businessman.

Meanwhile, the pump attendant told the police that he heard his boss screaming when he too was confronted by two armed masked bandits.

The pump attendant said he was relieved of an undisclosed amount of cash along with his car keys; he said he was taken inside the shop where he was beaten while his boss was lying on the ground. The gunmen later escaped in the pump attendant’s car.

The matter was later reported to the Police and the victims were taken to the West Demerara Regional Hospital for treatment.

“Police have since arrested two suspects, both of whom have confessed to the crime. Also, the firearm stolen from the businessman was recovered by the Police. Investigations are ongoing,” the police release noted.