Self-services remain a target for robbers… despite the implementation of a protective device in August 2022. It was deployed following the murder of a merchant from Rémire-Montjoly. On April 1, 2023, traders from Matoury also suffered a robbery. What regarding this security device in Cayenne, where there is the largest number of shops? A report by Alexandra Silbert and Frédéric Larzabal.
•
Major Franck Hayot, Population Police delegate, has been in charge, since regarding March 20, of making the link between the traders of Cayenne and the national police. Every day he goes to meet them. This notably allows him to add them all to an online discussion group, which now has 168 participants. This group is supplied each time a robbery occurs.
It is notably thanks to this system thata gang of three youths (including a minor) were apprehended and later found guilty of 14 armed robberies recently. Note that the two adults were sentenced to seven years in prison. A reassuring end for Kévin Lin, the merchant met on April 7 by Major Hayot. Manager of a clothing store, he fears above all for his colleagues.
For clothes it’s fine, but I’m a bit worried regarding self-service especially… Because their hours are longer than ours, so if there’s a little change, that would be great.
Kévin LIN, clothing store manager
Two safety referents complete the system, with Major Hayot. “The bond of trust and bond between traders has never been so important“, estimates Philippe Jos, territorial director of the national police. The security means have also been reinforced, adds the director. These are the elements that would have made it possible to identify “a good number of perpetrators of armed robbery”.
In Cayenne, where half of Guyana’s crimes are committed, preventive actions are bearing fruit. In the first quarter of 2023, the number of armed robberies fell by 36% compared to the same period in 2022. However, traders are still hoping for a shorter response time from law enforcement. They are counting in particular on the arrival of RAID announced for September 2023.
