July 27th: Small Beginnings
July 27, 2020
July 28th: The Righteous Will Shine like the Sun in the Father’s Kingdom
July 28, 2020

Robbery and arson at Church building

GUYANA

Police are investigating a burglary which took place the night of Friday July 17, at the building which belongs to the Roman Catholic Church at the corner of South and Wellington Streets, during which several items were stolen and several potentially destructive small fires were lit. Part of the building houses the Diocesan Youth Office, and the offices of the Catholic Media and the diocesan weekly Catholic Standard.

Catholic Standard reported July 24, that persons who occupy a flat in the two-storied structure say they were awoken by the smell of smoke and faint noises. On investigating, they found that the bottom flat had been broken into and the desks in the reception office had been ransacked. A number of small items were stolen.

“A number of small fires had also been lit, but fortunately none of them spread to cause major damage,” the report said.

In one case paper was set alight on top of a wooden desk, but the paper burnt to ash before it could ignite the top of the desk. Another fire was lit in a plastic bowl next to piles of books “but happily that too went out before it could spread,” the article said.

A third fire was also set in a room but caused no damage.

The latest incident is not the first time the building has been burgled. In October 2018, thieves  ransacked the Youth Office and stole a projector, two laptop computers, audio equipment, costumes, tools and a number of smaller items.

They also raided other sections of the building where they took a microwave oven, a percolator and a number of plastic and upholstered chairs.