Two masked gunmen on Saturday night robbed a Lusignan family of cash and jewellery and not being satisfied with their loot forced a visiting relative at gunpoint to her nearby home where they also relieved her of money and jewellery.

The men threatened to kidnap the twenty-three-year-old son of Mohan and Mala Keishore, Rishi, and it was only after his twenty-six-year-old sister, Sharon, told them that she had some money at her home that the bandits abandoned the idea.

"If you know how a beg dem, a go down on me knees and I beg dem nah tek me son and a tell dem if a had more money a woulda give dem," Rishi's mother yesterday told Stabroek News.

When Stabroek News visited the Lot 25 Latchman Singh Housing Scheme, Lusignan, East Coast Demerara home yesterday, residents were sympathising with the family.

The family operates a small shop. According to the wife the shop was closed and it was just after 9 pm when the bandits struck just as the area was in the middle of a blackout.

She said one of the two gates was closed while the other was left open since their daughter was visiting. Mala was lying in a hammock underneath the house when she saw two suspicious-looking persons walking on the road.

She said she informed her son who was nearby of what she saw and before they could do anything the men had barged into the yard and pointed guns at them demanding money and ordering them to be quiet.

The two were then collared and taken into the home where they found the woman's sickly husband and daughter.

The woman said she begged them not to hurt them promising that she would give them every thing she had which included three gold rings, a chain, the day's sale from the shop and some money sent for her husband to visit a doctor.

However, this did not satisfy the criminals who when told that there was no more money told the family that they would kidnap the son.

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"I ask dem wah deh go kidnap me son fah since me ent gat no more money and deh tell me when deh tek me son the money go find," the woman said.

After some pleading the boy's sister stepped in and informed the bandits that she had some money at home and when asked how much she told them $11,000.

One of the bandits remained with the family while the other took their daughter to her home and relieved her of the money, a gold ring and chain.

Upon their return, the bandits informed the victims that they had a taxi waiting for them and that they were headed for Georgetown. They also warned the family not to call the police and threatened to return and shoot them if they made a report.

Residents in the area contacted the Vigilance Police Station but were given another number to call which when dialled was busy. It was not until yesterday morning when a police patrol was passing that the matter was reported and a detective later visited and took statements.

The family and residents were shocked over the incident since according to them it has been a long time since anyone in the area was robbed.

The family said they have been operating the shop for more than twelve years and have never been robbed.