Police canteen workers blocking rum theft probe

Police officers investigating the larceny of 53 cases of rum from the police canteen in Port-of-Spain, have been hampered in their investigations by the non-cooperation of some employees of the canteen. Newsday learned that investigators seized one case of rum from a Central bar last Tuesday night. The boxes with special markings were taken to the canteen for the markings to be verified as the same markings contained in the 53 stolen cases of rum.

Newsday was told that some canteen employees claimed that they could not match the markings. The employees were also reluctant to assist investigators. Police officers said yesterday that despite the setback, they will get to the bottom of the larceny. They added that last week, they received key information that some police officers were seen at a certain bar in Central. The information was checked out and the bar raided. One case of rum containing eight bottles was seized. Officers also raided the home of a police officer on suspension, but nothing was found. Several bars in Port-of-Spain were also raided by the police. Investigators believe that the rum was sold to bar owners at cheap prices and the bar owners sold the rum to members of the public one day after it was stolen. The larceny was discovered last Monday by an employee of the canteen. He said that two locks were cut and the rum valued  at $32,000 was missing. Police officers said yesterday that arrests are imminent and some people could be charged with receiving stolen goods.