Police rescue taxi driver from trunk after car was hijacked by gunmen

Four suspected bandits were on Thursday morning shot by members of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) after robbing a person on Lamaha Street, Georgetown.

The Guyana Police Force’s (GPF) Corporate Communications Unit (CCU) disclosed that at about 02:59h, a caller reported to the Brickdam Operation room that motorcar PSS 2705, with persons inside, had robbed someone on Lamaha Street, Georgetown.

As a result of the report received, anti-crime patrols in Region 4 ‘A’ were alerted and observed the motorcar driving along the Agricola Access Road.

“As motorcar PSS 2705 reached the Two Brothers Gas Station, it proceeded south on the Public Road. The Anticrime Patrol subsequently attempted to intercept the vehicle, but the driver drove away, causing the Anti-Crime Patrol to continue to pursue the driver and occupants,” the CCU added.

According to CCU, the motorcar, which was driving at a fast speed, turned on Hunter Street and approached Mandela Avenue, where the driver lost control and collided with the northern barriers, bringing the car to a halt.

“Ranks from the Anti-Crime Patrol then observed four male suspects exiting the said motorcar PSS 2705, and these suspects began to run away from the scene and the Anti-Crime Patrol ranks.

Immediately after that, loud explosions - suspected to be gunshots - were heard coming from the direction where the suspects were running, thereby causing a rank to discharge a round in the said direction where the suspected gunshots were coming from.”

It was noted that other anti-crime patrols arrived at the scene, and a search was conducted in the area, where the suspects were seen running and suspected gunshots were being fired.

Rawle Franklin, a known character to the Police, the CCU said, was seen lying on the parapet with gunshot injuries, while his accomplice, Andrew Newyear, was seen lying in a yard with injuries. Moreover, two other suspects were found by ranks hiding in a yard.

“The police also recovered a 9MM pistol along with a magazine containing three live 9MM rounds.”

Franklin and Newyear were escorted to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where they are both receiving medical attention.

Additionally, ranks conducted a search of the motorcar and discovered a man by the name of Joshua Singh locked in the truck.

Singh told the ranks that he was at Shamo Taxi Base on Vryheid’s Lust Railway Embankment, East Coast Demerara (ECD), working his uncle’s motorcar PSS 2705, when he was approached by three of the suspects - one of whom pointed a gun at him and ordered him out of the car.

Afraid for his life, the man said he complied, and the bandits ordered him into the car’s trunk and locked him in.

Rank also recovered eight cellular phones, one Laptop, and a female purse from the motorcar. Investigations are ongoing.