Pensioner stabbed, robbed by family friend

Aug 14, 2020 News

Patrick Harris returning from the health centre after receiving treatment for his wounds.00

Patrick Harris, 69, of 3278 Lamaha Place, South Ruimveldt Park, Georgetown was on Wednesday stabbed in the head and robbed of $80,000 in cash by a “family friend”.
The pensioner, who still works as a tax administrator, was attacked and robbed just around midday at a “strip mall” located at the last entrance of North Ruimveldt.
According to the man’s granddaughter, Kadija Andrews, he was attacked by a “family friend” said to be a “minibus tout” who plies his trade at the ‘South’ bus park in the vicinity of the Stabroek Market.
Andrews said that earlier that day, the “family friend” met Harris while he was buying phone cards on the bus park and “hailed him up”. The two men, the woman added, then joined a bus together and headed for North Ruimveldt.
This newspaper was told that Harris stopped short of his destination to pay some bills leaving the “family friend” to continue without him.
A few moments later, Harris joined another bus and stopped off at the last entrance where he proceeded to use a urinal at the mall.

A screen grab of from video footage showing the suspect skipping away from the scene.

While urinating, the “family friend” walked up behind the pensioner and plunged a knife into the back of his head. According to eyewitnesses, the senior citizen turned around and a scuffle ensued between the two during which the “family friend” stabbed the victim again. They said that the “family friend” attempted to stab Harris to the body but he blocked and received the wound to one of his arms instead.
Harris was soon bleeding and too exhausted to resist his attacker. Realising that the injured Harris had no more fight left in him, the suspect proceeded to search his pockets, relieving him of $80,000 before literally “skipping” away from the scene, according to eyewitnesses. The incident was captured on CCTV camera.
It was an eyewitness, this publication learnt, who contacted Harris’ son, who arrived shortly after and rushed him to the Kitty Health Centre to receive medical attention.
A report was later lodged at the North Ruimveldt Police Outpost.
Harris’ grandchildren told Kaieteur News that the suspect has been a close friend of the family for a number of years.
“We know this guy since our teenage years, he grew up with us,” they said.
They added, “He would sit on our steps and even eat with us and pick fruits from our grandfather’s fruit trees.”
Harris, they said, is quite shocked that the young man had tried to take his life for a mere $80,000.