‘Bandit police’ rob Moruga family
A Moruga businessman is recovering after an ordeal involving armed bandits posing as police officers.
Terrence Thomas, 55, was abducted from his furniture shop in St Mary’s Village on Monday night, where he was confronted by assailants wearing ski masks and claiming to be law enforcement.
Around 9 pm. Thomas was at his business, Top Shotters Furniture Shop, alongside a workman when the bandits entered, asserting they had a warrant to search for illegal arms and ammunition.
When Thomas requested their names and the warrant, the intruders became aggressive, handcuffing him before forcing his worker into the trunk of their vehicle, a black Hyundai Elantra.
The assailants stole Thomas’s wallet, which contained approximately US $1,600, and compelled him into the back seat of his own car under the pretense of taking him to the police station. Instead, they drove him to his home in St Mary’s Village, where a chilling scene awaited.
Upon arrival, the bandits ordered Thomas’s wife and four children to lie on the floor. They also brought the workman into the house. The family was tied up with plastic tie wraps, and the intruders threatened Thomas’s life during the robbery.
The assailants ransacked the home, making off with cash, mobile phones, jewellery, and even a DVD player connected to the family’s surveillance system. No onwas physically harmed during the ordeal, police said.
PC Burton in investigating.
South Park Mall employee abducted, left in Debe
A 23-year-old employee of Caribbean Cinemas was abducted from South Park Mall on Sunday night but emerged unharmed after the ordeal.
According to police reports, the incident occurred around 10 pm as the victim and a female co-worker walked to his Nissan NP300 van parked near Starlite Pharmacy.
As they entered the vehicle, they were confronted by two men, one of whom brandished a firearm. The female co-worker was ordered to exit the vehicle and fled the scene.
The victim was forcibly pushed into the rear passenger seat of his van, and the assailants drove off, covering his head with a plastic bag to obscure his vision.
Approximately 45 minutes later, the victim was abandoned along the M2 Ring Road near the T&TEC power station. While there, he overheard his abductors speaking with two other men before hearing both his vehicle and another vehicle drive away.
After being left alone, the victim was aided by a passer-by, who helped him contact a relative. The relative then alerted the police. Officers met the victim and took him to the Mon Repos Police Station, followed by an interview at the San Fernando Police Station.
In addition to the theft of his vehicle, the victim reported that his Apple iPhone X and an Amazon Fire Tablet were also taken during the abduction.
Police Constable Ramsaroop and other officers from the Mon Repos Police Station are conducting investigations.
‘Vigilante justice’ in Maloney
Police are warning against vigilante justice following a violent confrontation in Maloney Gardens that left a 22-year-old man with serious injuries.
The incident occurred on Sunday morning during a domestic dispute at his girlfriend’s residence.
According to police reports, around 8.15 a.m., the man and his girlfriend became embroiled in a heated argument, exchanging loud accusations and profanities. Concerned neighbours, hearing the commotion, rushed to the scene to check on the woman’s safety.
However, their intervention escalated the situation. Instead of defusing the conflict, a group of men reportedly turned their aggression towards the 22-year-old. The victim was brutally attacked, suffering multiple blows and a stab wound to the head. In addition to his head injury, he sustained a broken arm during the altercation.
Once the attackers fled the scene, the victim was taken to Arima Hospital for treatment.
Off-Duty officer fatally shoots bandit in Aranguez Savannah
An unidentified man was shot dead on Sunday night while allegedly attempting to rob an off-duty police officer in Aranjuez. The incident occurred around 9:45 p.m. as the 41-year-old officer was jogging with his son.
According to police reports, the joggers were confronted by three men who threatened them. One of the suspects pointed a gun at the officer and his son, demanding their belongings. In a split-second decision to protect himself and his child, the officer pretended to reach for his wallet but instead drew his licensed firearm and fired at the assailants.
One of the suspects was struck and fell to the ground with a gunshot wound to the chest, while the other two fled the scene, running across the Priority Bus Route towards Broome Street and making their way to the Eastern Main Road.
The officer quickly alerted his colleagues from the North Eastern Division Task Force. The injured man was transported to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, where he was pronounced dead at 9.50 pm.
While police believe they have identified the deceased but are awaiting confirmation from his relatives.
The man is described as having a light brown complexion, slim build, and wearing a white vest and grey three-quarter pants at the time of the incident.
