By Joey Bartlett
Police are investigating a series of incidents across Trinidad and Tobago. These include an armed robbery in Laventille, a $50,000 break-in at a Tobago bookstore, a stabbing in Chaguanas and separate attempts to smuggle prohibited items into prisons.
In Laventille, three people were robbed of jewellery and mobile phones during an armed robbery on Tuesday evening. Around 5.40 pm on August 18, the victims were in a yard along Old St Joseph Road when they were approached by three men.
One of the men was armed with a gun and threatened the victims, saying, “Doh move, give meh everything or ah would shoot.” The victims complied.
One victim was robbed of three gold chains, a gold ID band and a wedding ring. Another had an iPhone 14, valued at about $2,500, stolen, while the third had an iPhone 13, valued at $2,000, taken.
The suspects then escaped in a silver Toyota Aqua, registration PEA 477, travelling east along Old St Joseph Road.
Meanwhile, police are investigating a break-in at Nelson’s Bookstore on Milford Road, Scarborough, Tobago, in which $50,000 in cash was stolen.
Police said the manager secured the business around 5.15 pm on August 14 before leaving.
Around 8.50 am the following day, a supervisor alerted the manager the store had been broken into. The manager arrived shortly after and found the interior in disarray. The back door on the northern side of the building had been pried open. The manager later discovered $50,000 missing from a cabinet used to secure money.
In Chaguanas, two men were stabbed during an altercation on Marie Street on August 15.
Reports say 21-year-old Kriston Nancoo and 22-year-old Jolan Adebrisi were attacked by four men described as being of African descent. Both men were stabbed about their bodies.
At the Eastern Correctional and Rehabilitation Centre, a female visitor is assisting police with investigations after she was reportedly seen passing an item to an inmate through a small opening at the top of a visit cubicle. The incident occurred around 11 am on August 18.
Officers from the Arima Police Station and the Arima Criminal Investigations Department responded to the facility. The detainee, who is subject to a Preventive Detention Order, was searched.
Police found a small brown envelope containing six cigarettes and three packs of wrapping paper. The detainee was cautioned, and charges are expected to follow.
In a separate incident at the Maximum Security Prison, officers recovered cigarettes believed to have been delivered by a drone.
Around 5.47 am on Tuesday, officers attached to the Emergency Response Unit conducted a security sweep of the courtyards after receiving information about a drone flight.
During the exercise, officers recovered a black sock containing 16 packs of Lucky Strike cigarettes. The service said the cigarettes had been delivered by a drone. It warned attempts to use drones or other technology to bypass prison security measures will not be tolerated.
