Fake cop robs Diego Martin supermarket, shoots owner

TWO armed bandits, one dressed in the full official uniform of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, shot a Diego Martin supermarket proprietor after robbing the businessplace and escaped by hijacking a car and forcing the owner to drive them away, on Friday evening.

Western Division police have launched a massive manhunt for the bandits who made off with an undisclosed large sum of money, jewelry and other items. According to police reports, around 6 pm businessman Alexander Koo, 35, was conducting sales at his businessplace, Why Chru Koo Supermarket which is located on the Diego Martin Main Road, Diego Martin.Two men, both armed with guns, entered the supermarket and announced a hold-up. The bandits forced Koo to open the cash register and hand over the day’s takings. They also robbed several customers who were in the supermarket of cash, jewelry and cellular phones. Before leaving, one of the bandits fired a shot at Koo, striking him on the right leg. The bandits then ran to the car-park at the front of the supermarket and jumped into the backseat of a Nissan Sentra car which was occupied by Suchit Singh and his girlfriend Rasheeda Hosein, both of Morne Coco Road.

With a gun to his head, Singh was ordered to drive. While he was driving, Singh begged the bandits to leave the car promising them not to report the matter, but he was struck a gun-butt at the back of his head by one of the bandits. On nearing the KFC fast-food restaurant on Simeon Road, Singh crashed his car into a wall and he and his girlfriend alighted from the vehicle and ran. A report was made to the Four Roads police and a team of officers led by Insp Roland Thomas and including Sgt Stephen Ramsubhag, Cpl Hayden Hannays and PC Marvin Gonzales visited the scene and carried out a futile mobile search for the bandits. A Fire Services Ambulance arrived at the supermarket and took the injured Koo to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital where he was treated for the gunshot and warded in stable condition. Police have since issued an All Points Bulletin (APB) advising all police precincts to be on the look out for Singh’s car, which up to yesterday, had not been recovered nor were the bandits arrested. Cpl Hayden Hannays of Four Roads CID, is continuing investigations.