Antiguan foils Caroni robbery

An Antiguan national who overpowered a gunman at his La Paille Village, Caroni home on Monday was grazed in the right leg, but managed to make a citizen’s arrest of the gunman. Two of the gunman’s accomplices escaped by swimming across the Caroni River. A .380 pistol with seven rounds of ammunition was recovered and the injured gunman was up until yesterday in  stable condition under police guard at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital. Police reports revealed that around 2.45 pm on Monday, Glasworth Josiah, 42, of Park View Street, La Paille Gardens, Caroni, was at home with two friends, David Ferment and Dowlin Mendez, when they were approached by three men armed with guns.

The men ordered the three to lie on the ground. Josiah reportedly retaliated by attempting to overpower the gunman, and  a struggle ensued. Josiah managed to overpower the gunman and one of his friends who had a gun in his possession fired at one of the accomplices, who returned fire. Josiah was grazed on the right leg. One of the two bandits was shot in the leg and fled the scene with another accomplice. However, the men reportedly snatched a cellphone before fleeing. The two swam across the Caroni River and escaped in some bushes. A party of officers led by Inspector Burt Raphael, Ag Sgt Ajith Persad and including Ag Sgt Corbett and Cpl Aguilerra went to the scene where they carried out a search for the suspects.

Josiah was rushed to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital where he was treated and warded. The Police Helicopter Unit was called out to carry out an aerial search for the suspects while sniffer dog “Rocky” was also used in the search. Up until late yesterday, the suspects were not found. An All Points Bulletin was sent out to all hospitals and medical institutions to be on the lookout for anyone nursing gunshot wounds. Josiah told Newsday that he decided to risk his life and overpower the bandit because he felt that he had the strength to do so. He expressed concern about the crime situation in the country.