Snaggs promises text message probe

ACTING Commissioner of Police Everald Snaggs yesterday assured members of the public that the Police Service is committed to taking appropriate action toward a level of comfort within the society. Snaggs was responding to the text message scare that affected thousands of post-paid customers between Saturday night and early yesterday morning. TSTT could not trace the source of the problem up to late evening, but the top cop said he wanted to draw to the attention of the perpetrator(s) the serious consequences that could follow if they are caught. He pointed to Section 106 of the Summary Offences Act Chapter 11:02 which he said makes provisions for summary conviction, fine and imprisonment for misuse of telephone facilities and false telegrams.

Snaggs also said that Section 38 of the Trinidad and Tobago Telephone Act, Chapter 47:30 makes provisions for the powers of the Telephone Company in relation to its subscribers. Snaggs said further that the “generic text message” seem to suggest a certain level of precaution to be taken by recipients of the particular message. As a result of the reports made, Snaggs said the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, with the assistance of TSTT has launched a thorough investigation to determine the origin and purpose of the relay of such message. Snaggs did not want to say what arm of the Police Service will be doing the investigations, stating that “the Police Service has many investigative arms and do collaborate in pursuance of investigations.” Asked if the Police Service was any closer to finding the persons responsible, Snaggs told Newsday that he has not fully discussed the matter with investigators. 

However, Newsday understands that the Anti Kidnapping Squad (AKS) is one of the units investigating the matter. A senior police officer told Newsday that about three weeks ago several people got a very strange message on their mobile phones. They said the message was in an incoherent language, and it is believed to be some kind of code. The message, police said, came via a mobile number, but when that number was contacted, the person who answered the phone claimed to have no knowledge of the message.