The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

THE manager of a local convenience store was shot in the chest after trying to escape a masked gunman.

Police are now asking for the public’s help in tracking down the suspect.

The manager, 51-year-old Janet Gabriel employed with Buy-for-Less, Baillou Hill Road South, was shot by a man during an armed robbery, police sources said.

The raid happened at the rear of the store which is also the Jungle Juice warehouse at 12.55pm on Saturday.

Another woman who was with the victim told police that the man, whose face was covered with a white shirt, entered the building. On seeing him, both women attempted to run, the suspect then fired a black handgun, shooting Ms Gabriel.

The man then fled the scene in a gold coloured Chevy Malibu, after taking an undetermined amount of cash from the victim.

Police were called to the scene after Ms Gabriel went into the store requesting an ambulance.

She was later taken to the Accident and Emergency unit and is detained in serious condition.

On Saturday, July 14, a 51-year-old man was beaten up on East Bay Street by two men. The men then robbed the victim of his wallet which contained several credit cards.

Later on that same day, a Soldier Road and East Street business was robbed by a man armed with a handgun who demanded cash. The suspect fled the scene with an undetermined amount of money.

In April, police crime statistics revealed that armed robberies and robberies showed an increase above other recorded crimes when compared to 2011.

Police recorded 333 cases of armed robbery and 111 robberies in 2011.

For the first four months of 2012, 347 armed robberies and 120 robberies were recorded.