Bar patrons beat bandit to a pulp

A SUSPECT who robbed a Siparia bar proprietor and chopped his brother ended up being the one rescued by police after he was held and beaten mercilessly by angry patrons. The drama unfolded shortly after 4 pm on Friday at Ashford Arjoonsingh’s North Ridge Bar, on the SS Erin Road in Siparia. Arjoonsingh’s brother, Anthony, confronted the suspect after he saw him follow his brother into his garage, located next to the bar. A scuffle ensued and Anthony was chopped on his back.

The suspect then proceeded to rob the proprietor of $2,500, but before he could make a dash to freedom, he was held by a group of patrons who heard the commotion. The patrons only stopped beating the man when the police arrived on the scene around 4.30 pm, and ordered them to desist. The officers, including Insp Wells, Cpl Flanders, PCs Ramdeen, Mahabir, Ramjag and Badree, were returning from the Forensic Sciences Centre after delivering the body of murder victim Roland Marshall, when they received a wireless message about the robbery. The bruised 38-year-old suspect was arrested and placed on several identification parades over the weekend in connection with a number of other robberies in the district. He is expected to appear before a Siparia magistrate today charged with robbery with violence.