Days after a man, in a brave and heroic act, in saving his 17-year-old daughter from gunmen by warding them off with a cutlass, residents have spoken out against the increasing crime in the Malick, Barataria area.
Residents said they are currently living in fear and are calling for increased police patrols/presence in the area.
One resident, who spoke to the T&T Guardian yesterday during a visit to the area, said they are often attacked by gunmen, “Luckily for the neighbour the gunmen didn’t shoot to kill or nothing terrible happened…he real brave I must say to fight the gunmen with a cutlass but this is what we are faced with every day.”
“Sometimes we just come out of the house and it have people with guns to our faces…these people robbing us, taking the little that we have, that we worked hard for. Some people around here report it and nothing doing. Some people don’t even bother to report it because the police not arresting nobody,” the resident said, who wished to not even give his name for fear of his life.
The resident said that the area is plagued with guns and drugs for years, “is years these things going on here and nobody cracking down on them…why? Because we seeing the police involved too and is friends with these same gunmen who shooting and robbing we, we not safe…who will really protect us?”
A business owner, who also wished anonymity, said he has been a victim to robberies on several occasions and admitted that he is thinking about “closing up shop,”
“I took out loans upon loans to run my business and in broad daylight these people coming with guns and cleaning me out. Not once, not twice but too many times. I’m literally fed up and disgusted with the crime in this area but where would I go when you hearing about robberies taking place almost around every corner?”
In a video that went viral on social media on Monday showed a man doing work around his yard at 7th Avenue, when two men with bandanas over their faces jumped over the wall and into his yard. The incident occurred on Sunday at about midday.
On seeing them, the man, who was holding a cutlass, attempted to run upstairs his home in a bid to protect his teenaged daughter when one of the intruders ran after him. The video showed the homeowner pelting a chop at the intruder causing the gun to fall out of his hand. Both men ran away from the scene.
A team of officers assigned to the North Eastern Division visited the scene and recovered the weapon, which they said was not loaded “luckily.”
Residents, in commenting on the man’s bravery, admitted that he and his daughter has not been seen since at their home.
During a visit to the man’s residence, it appeared as though no one was at home. Both gates were locked.
A senior police officer at the North Eastern Division has promised to increase police patrols throughout the Division.
The officer also urged residents to report all crimes either by contacting the nearest police station, 999, 555 or 800 TIPS.