Man chops off handcuff, chases female cop through market
There was chaos and confusion at the Stabroek Market Police Outpost Thursday night last when a prisoner reportedly chopped off a handcuff, and made good his escape, right under the nose of a Police Corporal, who was in charge of the shift at that time. Facts provided from ranks at the facility said that around 16:30 hours, ranks arrested 34yearold Gary Grant of Norton Street, Georgetown who was accused of stealing a cellular phone from a female resident. Officials there informed that the Corporal in charge and a few junior ranks had handcuffed the man’s right hand to a metal bar attached to a wall inside the structure and had placed him to sit on a bench. This of course meant that one end of the metal handcuff was attacked to the bar (with the chain extending) while the other end of the handcuff was secured around the man’s left wrist. Junior patrol ranks at the facility informed that all through the afternoon the man kept kicking the walls of the outpost and flinging items (food bowl, books and wooden objects) at ranks that were stationed outside the facility. One rank said he implored the Corporal to transfer the man to the Brickdam Police Station, but his requests went unheard. The man said all this time the very burly prisoner kept shouting at the top of his voice that he is very strong and is a very good sprinter, perhaps forewarning of his intention to escape. At around 22:20 hrs all hell broke loose as the prisoner exploded into action.
Ranks said the man suddenly jumped into the air (like a karate fighter), kicking down the entire enquiries counter of the outpost, which was made of plywood. Sources indicated that as books and pens flew in all direction, a cutlass that ranks had secured under the counter became exposed. It was this cutlass that the prisoner used to chop off the chain of the handcuff and escaped. However, before leaving the prisoner caused the structure to be plunged into darkness when he used the cutlass to chop and sever electrical wires thatched together to provide lighting.
A large crowd attracted by the commotion quickly gathered and tried to prevent the man from escaping, but he kept lunging at them with the cutlass which caused them to eventually back off. Ranks informed that all this time the Corporal in charge was snugly secured in the bedroom at the outpost where he sought refuge when the commotion began.
The lone female constable who was on duty said she sprinted for her life as the man chased after her with the cutlass. In her haste to escape she recalled toppling over two bread stalls owned by vendors at the Stabroek Market Square. The prisoner eventually managed to escape by running around the perimeter fence of the Parliament Buildings. This was all before a patrol vehicle that was summoned arrived at the scene.
(Kaiteur News)