For the second time this week, arsonists have firebombed a San Fernando business, leaving behind hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage.
Police believe the arsonists wanted to loot the popular Stackhouse Company Ltd along Pointe-a-Pierre Road, which sells liquor, meats and other items wholesale and retail. Investigators said it was the fifth business in the country to be firebombed in recent weeks.
A report stated that the owner, Truman Lochan Dass, 52, secured the business around 11 pm Thursday, leaving behind a MOPS security officer.
The officer reported that around 2 am, he heard a noise at the front of the building and on checking, saw that the showroom on fire and two masked men in dark clothing running away.
San Fernado police and firefighters from the Southern Division Headquarters responded and the blaze was extinguished before it spread to other parts of the building.
However, the entire showroom, which had various kinds of alcoholic beverages, was destroyed. Fire prevention officers collected samples of channa at the base of the door, which was believed to have been used in a channa bomb.
However, the showroom had an assortment of beans stocked on shelves and investigators were yet to determine what accelerant was used to set the fire. Despite T&TEC cutting power to the building, shoppers were busily purchasing their liquor and meats for the holidays.
Lochan Dass said he was not deterred by the attack and will continue to carry on his business. He said police already have video footage of the attack. He does not believe it was a robbery attempt, instead it was "one man's envy." Cpl Moses of the San Fernando CID is continuing investigations.
Around 1.30 am, Monday Dave Sookhoo, 58, the owner of the Sookhoo's Ltd supermarket and liquor store, was asleep with his family when they were awoken by an explosion outside their Union Road, Marabella home and business.
On checking, they found their BMW X4 valued at $450,000, a nine-seater Hyundai H1 valued $100,000 and a Mazda 3 sedan also valued $100,000 on fire. It was suspected that the arsonists broke the glasses on the vehicles and set them ablaze. The front of the business was aldo damaged.