The mastermind behind the theft of six firearms and a quantity of ammunition from Radar Security and Supplies Company is among five persons who were arrested since the incident on December 26, 2022.
Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum on Friday revealed that the mastermind is a security official employed with the company.
Detectives from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) made a breakthrough in the case on Friday after one of the suspects led them to a location in South Ruimveldt, Georgetown where two of the stolen weapons were recovered.
After the firearms and ammunition were stolen from the security company, two employees – a security guard and a training officer -were initially arrested.
Police Headquarters had reported that two single-barrel shotguns valued at $950,000, four 9mm Taurus pistols valued at $1.4 million and five Taurus .32 pistols valued at $1,425,000 were stolen.
Additionally, 25 12-gauge cartridges, 538 .32 rounds of ammunition, and 18 9mm rounds of ammunition were also stolen sometime between 10:00hrs on Christmas Day and 18:30 hrs on Boxing Day from the security company’s office at Lot 79 Carmichael Street, Georgetown.
The firearms were kept in the company’s “strongbox” secured with two padlocks on the outside. Inside the box, the firearms are chained and padlocked with three padlocks.
The day before the incident, Christmas Day, the firm’s Chief Security Officer, a 72-year-old from Guyhoc Park, checked the firearms and all were intact.
But at 18:30hrs the next day, a 65-year-old weapons training officer from Enterprise, East Coast Demerara (ECD), visited the location and met a 57-year-old Security Guard from Tucville who was on duty.
The training officer observed that the door to the office was left ajar.
He then entered the office where he reportedly observed that the padlocks on the strongbox were cut off; the chain that secured the firearms was also cut, and the firearms mentioned were missing.
He then informed the owner of the company. At the scene, detectives observed there were no signs of breakage.
Meanwhile, after the 57-year-old security guard was questioned, he was arrested and a search was carried out at his home, but nothing was found.
The training officer was also arrested and questioned and his home was searched, but nothing was found. The investigation continues.
