Bandits shot during police chase

Two of the four men who staged a robbery Monday evening at Sant’s quarry were shot after an exchange of gunfire with members of the Organised Crime and Narcotic Unit (OCNU). 

One of them, a 25-year-old, is in Ward 2 at the Sangre Grande Hospital nursing gunshot wounds to his right leg, while a 20-year-old is in Ward 54 of the Port-of-Spain General Hospital being treated for gunshot wounds to his lower torso and both legs.  Both men are under police guard. A third man was held while the fourth escaped and had not been held up to late evening.  The three men in police custody, all from the Guaico area, are facing charges of robbery with aggravation, shooting at the police with intent, and possession of firearms and ammunition.  Up to late evening, however, none had been charged. One of the men, according to Eastern Division police, was held with a hand drawn plan of Sant’s Quarry, the building and offices of the managers and it is believed that one of the suspects used to work at the Quarry, police said.

Police also said that one of the suspects was held with $4,768 in a white envelope, while a strange-looking 16-gauge shotgun together with one spent 16-gauge cartridge in its chamber was also seized.   A maroon Honda CRV which the bandits stole from the Quarry and cellphones were also seized. Rambaran Sant, director of Sant’s Quarry was chopped on the right wrist during the robbery at his businessplace, located off Toco Road, in the vicinity of Vega De Oropuche, police sources said yesterday. Also wounded was Sheriff Mohammed, 66, a supervisor.  He was chopped on the head and left shoulder. Both Sant and Mohammed were attended to and discharged from the Sangre Grande Hospital, said police.

Reports on the robbery are that around 4pm Monday, four men armed with a firearm and cutlasses went to Sant’s Quarry and tied up several workers.  They then stole a briefcase, and an undisclosed sum of cash and cheques as well as cellphones.  The bandits then stole a maroon Honda CRV, which they used to make their getaway. However, OCNU members were travelling east on the Railway Road, Sangre Grande and heard the wireless flash and spotted the stolen CRV. Police said the OCNU officers turned around and followed the CRV which went into Private Road #1. There, the bandits reportedly opened fire on the OCNU officers and then abandoned the CRV.  Police said the OCNU officers also abandoned their vehicle and a foot chase ensued during which time there was an exchange of gunfire with two of the bandits being shot.