Bank robber arrested at sea

ONE of the main suspects in last week’s $50,000 robbery at the Couva branch of First Citizens Bank (FCB), went to Macqueripe Beach yesterday for a swim. While there, he was spotted by the police.

In trying to make his escape he dived into the sea and swam away. But his escape to the deep was short-lived as he was picked up by a Coast Guard patrol three miles out in the Gulf of Paria and handed over to the police. Bathers at the popular beach looked on in amazement yesterday, as  coast guard officers plucked the man, who was wearing a pair of brown bathing trunks, from the sea around 3.30 pm yesterday. The 22-year-old man, who has a twin brother, is the main suspect in the $50,000 robbery which occurred last Tuesday. A 19-year-old man has already been charged with the robbery and a warrant has been issued for the arrest of a third suspect. Reports revealed that around 2.30 pm, an off-duty police officer attached to Central Division was at the beach when he saw the suspect swimming close by. The officer used his cellphone and contacted officers of the Carenage and Four Roads Police Stations.

When officers went to the scene, the suspect who had a grin on his face, swam about three miles out to sea and then sat upon a rock hoping that the officers would leave. Officers alerted the Coast Guard and asked for assistance in arresting the suspect. For more than one hour, the officers kept the man under surveillance as they awaited the arrival of the Coast Guard. The suspect continued to sit on the rock and gesticulated at officers urging them to come and get him, but they maintained their position and watched his every move. Scores of bathers looked on at the activities while some experienced swimmers volunteered to apprehend the suspect for the police. They were advised against doing so because officers were unsure if the man was armed. Coast Guard officers arrived on the scene at around 4.30 pm and pulled the surprised suspect from the rock where he was sitting. He offered no resistance while being placed in the coast guard vessel and was then taken to shore, where he was handed over to PC Sifontis of the Carenage Police Station. The effort resulted in applause from members of the public who witnessed the rather unprecedented arrest.

The suspect, who is from Marabella, will be placed on an identification parade today at the Chaguanas Police Station. Police officers said yesterday that the man is wanted for several other robberies. On Tuesday last, around 1 pm, three men in orange coloured jumpers walked into the FCB branch at Couva, jumped over the counter and held up three cashiers. They robbed them of cash amounting to $50,000. Supt Farrel who was sitting in his car outside the bank drew his firearm to stop the bandits but instead shot himself in the right hand. He was treated at the Couva Hospital and discharged. A surveillance camera at the bank recorded the entire robbery and the faces of the bandits were seen clearly by a police sketch artist who drew sketches of the three suspects. Police officers were able to identify the suspects who they described as career bandits. Hours after the robbery, officers of  Central Division went to Marabella where they detained the first suspect. He was charged by Sgt Corbette and appeared at the Couva court on Friday. The suspect was denied bail. Senior officers were high in praise of the coordinated efforts of the police and Coast Guard which led to the suspect being held.