A Cunupia businessman and his family were terrorised by four armed, masked men during a violent home invasion and robbery on Sunday morning, which ended with the suspects fleeing in a stolen SUV loaded with cash, electronics, jewellery, and personal items.
The incident took place around 7 a.m. at the Munroe Road residence and business place of Kemraj Buchoon, 47, owner of Kemraj Tent Rentals.
According to police reports, the ordeal began when Rajendra Balkaran, 64, an employee, arrived for work and was ambushed by the gunmen, all dressed in black and wearing ski masks. He was tied up, beaten, and forced to call his employer.
When Mr. Buchoon arrived, he too was assaulted, struck on the head with a firearm, and robbed of $220,000 in cash, proceeds from a recent vehicle sale, along with $8,000 US, gold jewellery, two laptops, and other valuables.
The suspects then rounded up all seven occupants of the home, including Mr. Buchoon’s wife Kamla and four children aged 10 to 16, tied them up, and locked them in a room upstairs.
In addition to stealing an estimated $100,000 in jewellery, the suspects also made off with approximately 20 cell phones, the property of various victims, and the family’s green Kia Sportage SUV (registration PDB 9879), valued at $320,000. The home’s CCTV DVR system was also taken, erasing all footage of the crime.
Police have described the suspects as four slim-built men of African descent, wearing dark clothing and face masks.
The case is being investigated by PC Ramsaroop of the Cunupia Police Station.