Police arrested three robbery suspects and seized an illegal shotgun after a failed robbery attempt in Mayaro on Saturday night.Police said around 11 pm, the owner of a bar at Union Village contacted them after he noticed two strange men entering his bar.The businessman told investigators one of the men was hiding what appeared to be a firearm under his T-shirt. He said the suspects left after they realised he had contacted the police.
Less than an hour later, the suspects were held, along with another man, while driving along the Mayaro Main Road in a Nissan B14. Police discovered a sawed-off shotgun with a 16-gauge shotgun cartridge, which was hidden in the backseat of the car.
The suspects were arrested and taken to Sangre Grande Police Station. They are expected to participate in identification parades later today, after which they will be charged. Police believe the trio was responsible for a recent spate of armed robberies at bars in East Trinidad. All three have convictions for similar offences, police said. Meanwhile, a 42-year-old United States deportee was arrested for firearm possession in an unrelated police exercise in Morvant.
The suspect was arrested after officers of the North Eastern Division Task Force, led by Insp Roger Alexander, searched his apartment where they recovered a .38 Special revolver and five rounds of ammunition.Investigators said the man was deported more than a year ago after being convicted of firearm offences in the US.
He is suspected to be responsible for several shooting incidents in Morvant and Barataria, police said.The suspect will appear in the Port-of-Spain Magistrates Court today.