Two held as police seize seven vehicles in garage

Seven vehicles, freshly painted and bearing false number plates were seized from a Malabar garage on Tuesday afternoon during a five-hour operation carried out by officers of the Northern Division.

Two men ages 56 and 26 of Valencia were detained during the exercise and were assisting police in their investigations. Officers also seized equipment used for cutting vehicles into parts at the Ackbarali Street Malabar garage.

According to reports officers under the supervision of Sen Supt Daniel and ASP Mervyn Edwards, and led by Sgt Matthew Haywood went to the Malabar garage at about 4 pm on Wednesday based on information received. The garage was cordoned off and officers observed that seven of the vehicles in the garage appeared to have been tampered with. The vehicles which included a Mazda 3, a Toyota Corolla, a Nissan Navarra 2 Nissan Versas and a Toyota pick-up were seized and handed over to officers of the Stolen Vehicles squad.

The suspects detained were taken into custody and were assisting officers in their investigations yesterday.

Etchers from the stolen vehicles squad began examining the vehicles yesterday and documents were being sought from the licensing authority to verify if the vehicles were tampered with.

Police believe that with the arrests of the suspects and the seizure of the vehicles they may be able to make a breakthrough in a vehicle stealing racket in the country. Officers also expect to seize additional vehicles with the arrest of the two suspects.

The same team of officers also searched a bushy area in Malabar on Wednesday and seized a pistol with several rounds of ammunition.