Cop escapes drive-by shooting

According to a police report, at about 11.45 pm on Saturday, Police Constable Keegan Seecharan was driving his AD station-wagon along Esmeralda Road in Williamsville when the Tiida vehicle pulled alongside him and one of the occupants fired two shot which struck the front windscreen of the wagon.

As the officer dived for cover, the driver of the gunman’s car drove off at high speed.

PC Seecharan immediately contacted officers and a roadblock was set up but the criminals managed to elude capture. Detective Cpl Fortune is continuing investigations.

Up to press time no arrest was made.

$300,000 BMW stolen In an unrelated case, it took no more than five minutes on Saturday night for car thieves to speed off in a silver-coloured BMW X5 luxury sedan valued at $300,000 which according to reports the owner had parked outside a bar in Gasparillo while he limed inside.

Police said that at about 7.30 pm, Mohan Ramsumair, 53, a proprietor of Ben Lomond, Williamsville was at Anil’s Bar, Caratal Road, Gasparillo, when he left his keys to his BMW on the bar counter and went to the bathroom, to relieve himself. Five minutes later, Ramsumair would later tell police investigators, he returned to his spot at the bar counter only to discover his car keys gone. When he ran out of the bar to check on his car, it was nowhere to be seen. WPC David is investigating.

Also, police reported that at about 2 am on Saturday, contractor Alvin Bruce, 40 of Robert Village, Tableland was robbed at gunpoint of his wallet containing $7,000, a gold chain valued at $25,000, a Movado watch worth $4,000 and a cell phone worth $2,000. At the time he was liming at KP’s Bar located at Sixth Company Circular Road, Indian Walk, Moruga, The lone gunman made good his escape on foot, police said. PC Jackman is continuing enquiries.

24 drug dens searched Meanwhile, officers of the Southern Division raided 24 known drug blocks in La Romaine, Embacadere, Tarodale and Marabella during a special 48 hour anti-crime exercise that ended on Saturday morning.

During the exercise, officers including Cpls Louis, Ramroop, Bacchus along with PCs Marshall, Noel and Samm, also searched eight homes of well known offenders in Marabella district. A total of 74 persons were subsequently arrested for various offences while 47 warrants were executed.

On the road, officers issued 69 tickets for various traffic offences and a total of three firearms and 61 rounds of ammunition seized. The weekend’s exercise was supervised by Supts Gaffar, Pragg, ASP Pardassie with the assistance of Insps Don Gajadhar and Persad, Sgts Commissiong, Ramlogan and Ifill and officers of the Southern Division Task Force.

13 held in police exercises Finally, 13 persons were arrested and a number of illegal items seized during an exercise in Arima carried out by the Port-of-Spain and the Northern Divisions of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service on Saturday morning.

Executing a warrant at Calvary Hill, Arima, officers found one Beretta pistol outfitted with two magazines, 26 rounds of 9mm ammunition, three camouflage pants, a Gamo rifle scope, a silver handcuff, two camouflage jackets, one black camel pack, a Walkie Talkie and charger, and a Swiss Army Knife.

Four persons aged 58 and 52, 42, and 26 were arrested and are expected to appear before an Arima Magistrate on Monday.

The others were arrested for various offences including rape and assault. Spearheaded by Senior Superintendent Radcliff Boxill from the Port-of-Spain CID and Senior Superintendent Simboonath Rajkumar, the exercise was carried out between 3 am and 9 am.