Guards foil burglary at Republic Bank

Two security guards who responded to an alarm which was triggered at the Centre City, Chaguanas branch of Republic Bank, foiled a plan to remove one of the bank’s vaults early Sunday.

The perpetrators managed to cut a hole in one of the steel doors on the northern side of the bank, but fled the scene when the alarm was triggered and the estate constables arrived.

They found the electrical supply to the bank was cut.

Bank managers were called and an electrician was asked to repair the cut power lines.

A check was carried out inside the building and everything appeared to be intact.

Yesterday, head of the Port-of-Spain CID Acting Senior Superintendent Ajith Persad and officers of the Central Division went to the scene of the attempted robbery.

On September 24, burglars cut a hole in one of the doors at the Montrose, Chaguanas branch of First Citizens Bank and escaped with over $3 million. On October 3, burglars also broke into the Chaguanas branch of the Board of Inland Revenue and escaped with $117,000.

Yesterday the Bankers Association told Newsday it was concerned about the overall crime situation. The association said it.

believes there is a need for an increased allocation of resources into police and law enforcement agencies in order to have more effective patrols.