Hunt on for car switch file

UP TO late yesterday, the file which implicates at least three North Eastern Division police officers in what appears to be a car switching scam, could still not be traced, senior police officers said. Questioned in his capacity as Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime/Operations), Glen Roach told Newsday he is aware that there is an investigation going on, and said he would look into it. Newsday yesterday carried a special report on the incident which occurred in August 2001. The incident involves the switching of a black Nissan Sunny, registration number, PAS 2455, which was reportedly stolen from the Santa Cruz Police Station on a Sunday night on the pretext that it was being taken to the Forensic Science Centre for testing. This has proven to be an untruth, since Yolanda Thompson, Director of the Forensic Science Centre said the car never came to the Centre in the year 2001. 

The car, which was an exhibit, was in very good condition when it was taken from the Santa Cruz Station. However, another vehicle, which was passed off as the black Nissan Sunny was brought back to the Santa Cruz Station in a dilapidated condition and it is understood that illegal activities were carried out with the vehicle. An investigation was carried out by Insp Christopher Lewis and Sgt Hazarie during which several statements were recorded, some of which state that junior officers were instructed by a Constable to write false information in station diaries relating to the vehicle’s movements. Senior police officers told Newsday that the file was sent to Sr Supt Maurice Piggott, head of the Anti Corruption Investigations Bureau (ACIB). Piggott is said to have returned the file for certain things to be cleard up.