Senior police officers say thieves have gone on a rampage in Princes Town since the lifting of the curfew. The latest incidents were reported on Monday when, within the space of half an hour, gun-wielding thieves staged two robberies, relieving four people of more than $19,000 in cash and valuables. The first robbery occurred at around 1 am at the home of Milton Downs, 53, at Fifth Company Village, Indian Walk, New Grant. Police said Downs was sleeping when he awakened by a loud crashing sound from the kitchen. When he checked, Downs saw three strangers standing in the house, two armed with guns and another with a cutlass. The men ordered Downs back into the bedroom where they robbed him of $700 in cash and a quantity of costume jewellery before they fled on foot.
Half an hour later, two masked robbers went to Trio's Bar, at St Charles Road, Princes Town, and robbed the patrons of more than $17,000 in cash. Police said Surendra Partap, 19, a self employed surveyor, Videsh Soogrim, 19, and Wendy Jagroo, 20, all of Debe, were liming at the bar at the time. Partap tried to flee but was beaten on the head with a gunbutt and robbed of $10,200. Police said Jagroo, a scrap iron dealer, was robbed of $7,000 in cash and a Blackberry phone valued at $3,000. Soogrim was relieved of a Samsung phone and $400 in cash. Police believe the men were the same ones who robbed Downs.
Meanwhile in the South Western Division, senior officers say they are keeping up patrols to prevent the migration of criminals to quiet rural areas. Officers have warned business people not to walk around with large sums of cash and to seek police escort when doing financial transactions. No arrests have yet been made in the latest robberies. PCs Matloo and Clement of the Princes Town and Ste Madeleine stations are continuing investigations.