The owner of "Big Pig" barber shop at Paradise, East Coast Demerara is thinking about closing after he was attacked on Monday evening.

Barber, Kurt Alfred was forced to surrender some $191,500 in cash and jewellery after fifteen minutes of terror and threats. His customer, Randy had one of his eyes smashed with a gun butt, while another customer, Joy, and Kurt's sister, Sophia Alfred were stripped of their jewellery and small amounts of cash. The police in a press release said they were investigating the matter.

One of the bandits was nearly caught when a resident wrestled with him for over three minutes. He only managed to escape when his weapon accidentally went off prompting the public-spirited citizen to let go.

The bandits then galloped through a cross street along Paradise access road and disappeared. They are believed to be the same three who pounced on residents of Non Pariel a few minutes later and also robbed members of the Coldingen Policing Group. 

Alfred who is popularly known as "Big Pig" told this newspaper yesterday that he was cutting hair around 7:30 pm, while Joy and other persons were waiting, when one of the bandits entered the shop and called on him to hand over his gold chain.

" 'Big Pig' come over hay we want you ring and chain and all you money," Alfred quoted one of the bandits as saying.

He said the bandit's demands were so amusing and shocking that Randy whose hair was being trimmed at the time laughed.

But, Randy got a savage warning that the bandits were not joking when one of them jammed his left eye with the gun butt. The young man fell to the ground bleeding.

Alfred said he dropped his scissors, while watching the two men closely.

He was then accosted by one of the bandits who was carrying a shotgun. The bandit again called on him to hand over his chain and money. "Big Pig wheh de money and the chain deh."

The 25-year-old barber said he became very nervous, but continued to tell the bandits he had no money or chain. Alfred said from all indications the men knew a lot about him, noting that throughout the ordeal they called him by the nickname 'Big Pig' which is only used by persons close to him.

Simultaneously the second bandit stripped Randy of whatever cash he had in his pocket, while Joy and other customers were relieved of their jewellery and cash. Alfred said the bandits ran through his pocket and relieved him of cash. They also ransacked his drawers, stripped him of the chain he was wearing and a gold ring.

Still not satisfied, Alfred told this newspaper the men continued to demand that he hand over more.

He was then escorted out of the shop and placed to lie in the open yard. He said several persons were passing on the road, but some of them did not realise what was happening. He saw a third bandit on the road watching over his accomplices while armed with an automatic weapon. While Alfred was on the ground, one of the bandits went into his sister's house in the same yard. The barber recalled that the man marched into the house and called out to his sister to open the door. Once inside he commanded the woman to hand over her brother's jewellery and cash. His sister handed the bandit a substantial sum of cash and his jewellery. He also relieved her of a pair of earrings and a gold ring before running out of the house.

On his way out his accomplice who was guarding Alfred demanded the barber's motorcycle keys.

The two men then joined their accomplice on the road. Alfred said he watched as the men tried to ride off with his cycle but could not get it to start. He said they then called him to start the cycle and he too failed. The bike was then given a jumpstart at which time two of the bandits took off with it, but before they got much further, they fell off.

They abandoned the cycle and began to run. It was while fleeing that the resident accosted one of them and the two started to fight. The resident said despite his efforts no one assisted. He believed that if other residents had come forward at least one of the bandits would have been caught. When the bandit's weapon went off, he retreated and the bandits fled.