Police believe there is a ring of highly skilful thieves who enter businesses through the roof or other less secure areas to make off with their loot.
The most recent case took place between Sunday night and yesterday morning at Massy Supermarket on Cascade Road, St Anns. According to police reports, the store's manager secured the vault and the store around 6 pm on Sunday and on returning sometime around 6 am yesterday, they saw that the safe had been opened with the use of a blowtorch.
Police said an estimated $110,000 was stolen and believe the culprits may have been expecting more cash from sales over the weekend. The thieves, officers said, entered through the roof of the building. The security company hired to protect the business reported that the silent alarm was triggered several times but checks made showed nothing suspicious was taking place and dismissed the alarms as slight malfunction.
Inspector Williams and his team of Sgt Mc Guirk and PC Dopwell of the Belmont Police Station visited the supermarket approximately one hour after the theft was discovered. Dopwell will continue investigations.
Police said they suspect the culprits had inside help. This assumption was made in 2015 when thieves allegedly made off with close to $25 million in cash and jewelry from M&M Pawn Shop, Henry Street, Port-of-Spain. It was alleged that five people robbed the store after entering and exiting through the roof of the building. The alleged culprits: Melissa Evans, her common-law husband, Javon Cudjoe, his brother, Jude Cudjoe, Anthony Montano and Vishnu Latchman were granted a total of $14 million bail. Their matter is currently pending.
The five are charged with breaking and entering More Money (M&M) Pawn Shop and Jewelry Store, between Saturday February 21 and Monday February 23, 2015 and stealing $23,693,55.49 in jewelry, $60,000 in cash and $6,000 in electronic items.
On December 6, 2014 thieves also broke into Jankie's Jewelry in Plaza 2001 along the Chaguanas Main Road. Three men entered through the roof of the mall and using grinders to cut open four safes which contained gold and diamond jewelry, made off with some $8 million in precious metal. No one has been held in relation to that robbery. When the T&T Guardian visited the supermarket yesterday morning, the supervisor reported that the management had nothing to say about the incident. The store remained open "like normal" one employee said.
The store's opening was slightly delayed because if the break-in, the T&T Guardian was told.