‘POLICE’ ROB MEDFORD’S OF $50,000

TWO gunmen dressed in police uniform yesterday held up and robbed the 24-hour Plus conveniece store at Medford’s Gas Station, Chaguanas, police said. The two men in police uniform were among three who entered the store. The other, who was also armed, was dressed in civilian clothing. A fourth man remained in a silver Almera vehicle, which was later found abandoned at Success Street, a short distance from the Chaguanas Police Station. Reports are that around 8.30am the two men in dark blue police pants and shirts, complemented with bullet proof vests with the words “POLICE” at the back and front, entered the compound and told workers that they wanted to see one of the manager, Ingrid Medford, who was at the time inside her office checking the weekend’s sales. Medford is reported to have left her office, then asked the men what she could do for them.  The police impersonators then asked Medford if she was pleased with her security. The woman replied in the affirmative and the two men in police wear said that they were just “checking out” the area.  Police sources said Medford then asked them to present their identification badges.
  
One of them dipped into his pockets, but came up empty-handed and said he left it in his vehicle, but made no efforts to go get the ID. The other man who was with him then said he did not like how a certain security guard attached to the Chaguanas-based Four Paw Security firm was looking. The man then pushed the security guard onto Medford. The guard was on duty inside the convenience store, while another was stationed outside. The man in the police uniform then pulled out a gun and struck Medford on her neck.  He and his accomplice then ordered Medford back into her office, where they took close to $50,000 that was on her office desk. Meanwhile, the third man jumped over a counter manned by the head cashier, Kavita Maharaj. He commanded the workers to open the cash registers then ordered about ten workers to lie on the floor, after which he stole a quantity of cash from two cash registers.  During his time there, the man struck one of the female workers in the waist. To prevent possible identification, police said the men removed a video cassette recorder from inside Medford’s office.  They then left in the silver Almera vehicle, which Central Division police said was stolen last month from the Couva home of Kelvin Pierre. About five minutes after they left, the silver Almera vehicle was abandoned on Success Street, where they removed the registration number of that vehicle and placed it on a green vehicle in which they made their getaway. A report was made and a party of officers from the Central Division under Sr Supt Philip Carmona visited the scene and conducted investigations.  The officers made a search of the area for the men, but without success.

Contacted yesterday, Ingrid Medford told Newsday that she wanted Trinidad and Tobago citizens to be aware that bandits are coming around dressed in police uniforms. “They could be real police, or people hired to look the part.  They are coming in all kinds of disguises,” Medford said.  She added that they were even better dressed than real police with very good physiques. Asked if she thought it was an inside job, Medford said she did not.  She also said it was either the fourth or fifth robbery that they had undergone for this year.  She also recalled when her husband Kenneth “Chic” Medford was kidnapped in May 2002. The woman then called upon acting Commissioner of Police Everald Snaggs to tell business people what else they should do with regards to asking for proper identification from people purporting to be police officers.  She also endorsed the call for guns for businesspeople. Snaggs told Newsday yesterday they have observed that some serious crimes are being committed by “people other than police officers dressed in articles of clothing closely resembling police uniforms.” The top cop later implored members of the public to demand to see proper identifications from these people whether or not they are in police uniform. Police Association President, Acting Insp Christopher Holder, said that they need to devise some kind of strategy to deal with people using police uniform to commit crimes. Up to late evening no one had been arrested in connection with the Medford robbery. The Chaguanas CID is continuing investigations.