Four arrested for robbing bank customers

The four ranging in ages from 27 to 40 years old were arrested on Friday following an exercise led by Head of the Anti Crime Operations Unit Insp Don Gajadhar and including Sgt Ramroop, Cpl Williams, along with WPC Morrison and PC’s Crawford, Duray, Moses, Harripersad and others.

Police sources told Newsday the officers conducted surveillance at banks in Gulf View, La Romaine last week following reports from victims that they were followed after leaving the banks and robbed of their cash on the roads or in their homes.

During a five-hour exercise on Friday two separate vehicles with two men, a driver and a passenger were observed parked at separate locations outside the banks at Gulf View, La Romaine.

Police say the four were seen changing locations outside the banks to avoid suspicion of being in the same spot for several hours.

After observing the men acting suspiciously for several hours, police arrested them. The four were questioned about several reports of robberies as well as larceny of cash from vehicles in and around San Fernando. They are expected to be placed on several ID parades. In light of the robberies, Insp Gajadhar is asking persons to be careful when withdrawing large sums of money from the bank and to be observant about their surroundings.

He said the thieves often pretend to be customers inside the banks when they are fact passing information to their accomplices on the outside.

Only last week a female nursing assistant from the San Fernando General Hospital and two male employees from the San Fernando City Corporation appeared in court charged with robbing a bank customer.

Police said the woman would go into the bank to conduct legitimate banking business but would also spy on other customers and text the information to her accomplices who were waiting outside the banks.

The thieves would then follow their victims to their homes. Last week as well a medical doctor from Gulf View was followed to his home after leaving a bank and was beaten and robbed of a large sum of cash by thieves.