Bandits run wild in Tobago

The robbery spree began early at about 2 am, when two men armed with a gun and cutlass broke into Stewart’s Guest House at Crown Point and robbed two men and two women from Trinidad of their valuables and an undisclosed sum of money.

The victims were beaten with the cutlass before the men escaped. Crown Point police are continuing investigations.

Hours later, at about 8.45 am, two men, also armed with guns and a cutlass, robbed Mt Pleasant Credit Union and three of its employees, including the security guard on duty, of an estimated $18,000. Newsday learnt the two men entered the Riseland Trace, Carnbee financial institution pretending to be customers before announcing a hold-up.

The men robbed the unarmed MI4 security guard of her cell phone and other items and proceeded to rob two employees of valuables and $18,000.

The men climbed over a wall to escape. This case is being investigated by Old Grange police.

Then, close to 11 am, police intercepted a car with five men and held them for questioning in connection with recent robberies.

After a chase, the police blocked the car near the Royal Castle outlet on Wilson Road and ordered the men to get out.

A large number of curious onlookers gathered as back-up was summoned and a search conducted.

The men were taken to the Scarborough police station for questioning and the car was impounded. They, however, were among several others who were subsequently released from police custody.

A senior police officer reiterated concern over the rise in robberies on the western part of Tobago over the last few days.

The robbery at Stewart’s Guest House was the third in the Crown Point area within the past four days, while the Mt Pleasant Credit Union incident is the latest in a string of robberies that have pestered Old Grange police.

That area is now being called a “hotspot.” Describing the perpetrators as “very elusive men”, the officer told Newsday that investigators were following several leads and expected a breakthrough soon.