radhica.sookraj@guardian.co.tt
The owners of Kissoon’s Doubles in Princes Town have been held under siege by robbers, weeks after gunmen attacked the owners of Hassanali’s Doubles in Debe, robbing them of valuables.
And in a separate incident, the owners of Rajkumar’s Doubles of Couva were also accosted in their home on Friday morning and robbed of cash and valuables.
Police say the doubles owners seem to be easy targets for criminals over the past few months as home invasions and armed robberies increase in the lead-up to Christmas.
The robbery at the Kissoon’s establishment occurred around 11.30 am on Friday. Leela Kissoon, 51, of Lothians Branch Road, Branch Trace, Princes Town, the owner of Kissoon’s Doubles, located at High Street, Princes Town, told police she had just returned home from selling when she was approached by three men.
Nalini Kissoon, 21, a doubles cashier was with her at the time.
One of the suspects wore a white long-sleeved jersey, and blue coverall pants, with a white jersey covering his head and face. He was brandishing a cutlass. The other assailant wore a blue long sleeve coverall, a black mask, and dark coloured hat and was armed with a gun. The third man also wore a blue long-sleeve coverall and a red jersey covering his head and face. He also carried a cutlass.
The thieves robbed Leela of a gold chain valued at $2,000 and $2,500 in cash. Nalini was robbed of a white gold chain with diamond cuts valued at $4,500.
They then escaped in a silver Nissan Wingroad Wagon. No arrests have yet been made.
Seven hours earlier, the Rajkumars were being robbed at their home as they prepared doubles.
Police said Chris Rajkumar, 35 and Natasha Rajkumar, 33, both of Reservoir Road Basta Hall Village, Couva were preparing their doubles when three men, one of whom was armed with a firearm, entered their house from the front door.
That door had been left open, police said.
The robbers took the couple to a bedroom located on the eastern side of the house and tied up their hands. They also gagged them before rummaging through the house and stealing a green Nissan B14, jewellery and $6,000 in cash.
The robbers also stole a television, four 50lb gas tanks, a Samsung A32 cellphone, a Samsung M33 cellphone and a Samsung A12s cellphone. They then escaped in a waiting car.
Last month, the Hassanali family, who owns the popular “D Green Shed” in Debe were also held hostage and terrorised for 25 minutes inside their Debe home. No one was arrested for that incident.