Bandits rob Chaguanas gas station again

Three bandits posing as customers staged a daring early morning robbery at Medford on the Flyover, Chaguanas, and escaped with a large quantity of cash. Before fleeing the scene, the bandits removed the micro film from the surveillance camera and escaped in a waiting car. The white B-13 getaway car was discovered burnt at Woodford Lodge Road, Chaguanas, an hour after the robbery. Reports revealed that around 6.45 am yesterday, three men, two armed with guns, entered the store and posed as customers. The men jumped over the counter and ordered manageress, Nalini Lakhan, to hand over a bag containing a large amount of cash.

The two bandits then pointed a gun at cashier Reena Rampersadsingh and placed a quantity of money from the cash register into a bag. The money represented sales from Tuesday and Wednesday night. All employees of the businessplace were ordered to lie on the floor as the bandits carried out the robbery. They then removed the microfilm from the surveillance camera, and fled in a white B-13 Sentra. The car was later found burnt in a canefield road at Woodford Lodge. A party of officers led by Inspector Burt Raphael, Sgt Dennis Housend and Ag Sgt Ajith Persad went to the scene with fingerprint experts and other officers.

Employees were questioned by the police and statements recorded. Police believe the persons who carried out the robbery had a lot of information about the amount of cash in the businessplace. The robbery at Medford is the fifth for the year. Employees refused to comment on the robbery yesterday, saying that they were afraid to say anything. The manager who was robbed said that she had no comment to make but added that it was business as usual yesterday. PC Jitendra Toolaram of the Chaguanas CID is investigating.