Sentinel robbery suspect released

The 31-year-old gang leader held in connection with the murder of security officer Bert Clarke and multi-million-dollar robbery involving Sentinel Security Services has been released from custody. The suspect, of Beetham Gardens, was arrested by the Inter-Agency Task Force near his home on Saturday morning. He was detained at the Belmont Police Station and questioned by detectives of the Criminal Gang and Intelligence Unit, who released him around 3.20 pm on Monday. 

Police sources said the suspect was questioned about the robbery, which took place on the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway in Macoya, as well gang activity in east Port-of-Spain. Source said investigators did not have sufficient evidence and did not gain enough information while interrogating the suspect to charge him for the robbery or any other criminal offence. No other suspect had been arrested up to late yesterday. 

Around 4.30 am on November 27, armed robbers attacked the panel van belonging to Sentinel Security Services and made off with $17 million in local currency and US$150,000. The courier service was heading to Piarco Airport to transport the money to banks in Tobago. Clarke, 59, of Bregon Park, D’Abadie, was shot dead while the driver escaped after running and hiding in bush across the highway. The driver was detained by police for several days after the heist and was eventually released. 

 After grabbing the loot, the robbers escaped in a white SUV which was later found abandoned near Millennium Park, Trincity, and another getaway car, a Nissan Almera, was found elsewhere. All three vehicles were reported stolen.