Police arrest ‘PH’ bandits

"Taken from our C R I M E section.

SAN FERNANDO police believe they have made a breakthrough in a series of robberies in South Trinidad with the arrest of two men early yesterday morning.

The two suspects, a 40-year-old labourer of Union Park, Marabella, and the 20-year-old son of a popular bar owner from Gasparillo, are believed to be responsible for at least 20 robberies in San Fernando and surrounding districts over the past three weeks. They were arrested around 1.30 am. At the time they were operating a PH taxi with two passengers. Police believe the passengers were potential robbery victims.

Police recovered more than $1,000 in cash, cell phones and jewelry which they believe was taken during robberies carried out by the suspects on Friday night.

According to the police, at around 1.30 am an All-Point Bulletin was issued for a white Nissan B-13 Sentra in which two persons pretending to be a taxi driver and a passenger had robbed four persons at M2 Ring Road, Barrackpore.

The four persons entered the vehicle on High Street, San Fernando at around 11 pm and asked to be taken to Barrackpore. While they were driving along the M2 Ring Road in the vicinity of Trinity Hills, the driver stopped the car and pulled out a knife, while his accomplice pulled out a cutlass. The men announced a hold-up and robbed the passengers of cash, jewelry and cell phones.

A passing motorist took the victims to the Barrackpore Police Station where they made a report about the incident.

At around 1.30 am, members of the San Fernando Robbery Squad, led by Inspector Celestine Phillip and Sgt Livia, and including PCs Khemraj Sahadeo, Kelly Ramnarine, Cpl Gokool and Samburry, were on mobile patrol at Dumfries Road, La Romaine, when they spotted the vehicle.

A chase ensued and the vehicle was cornered and the suspects arrested.

Police said the suspects will be placed on several ID parades this week.