Criminals target Petrotrin employees

AS misinformation continues to circulate in the public that Petrotrin has offered hefty financial packages to their employees as part of the retrenchment process, criminals are now burglarising the homes of employees in deep south.

The employees and former employees strongly believe they are now being targeted. They are fearful for their lives and safety of their families. Newsday learnt that three employees have been robbed and their homes burglarised within the last three months in the south western area.

Many of the Petrotrin employees reside in areas such as Erin, Santa Flora, Palo Seco and Siparia. The latest victim is father of four, David Hospedales who lives at Skinner Trace, Quarry Village, Siparia.

His home was burglarised on Monday morning. At the time no one was present. The burglars stole a television, laptop, two LPG tanks and a quantity of jewelry. The stolen items are valued at approximately $15,000.

Police said the intruders used a weapon to prise open the family’s front door. According to a police report at about 7 am Hospedales left home for work. One hour later his wife, Helen Bovell, a swim instructor secured the house and left with their four children.

The family returned to their home at about 3pm to discover the house broken into. A traumatised Hospedales told Newsday yesterday that when he arrived in front of his house he saw the lights on.

“Immediately I knew something was wrong because we would never leave our lights on when we leave the house.”

He said when he walked near to the front door, it was opened. The door was broken. Grabbing a cutlass from outside the house, Hospedales entered the house with caution while his wife and children remained in the car.

“When I realised there was no one in the house, I then allowed my children and wife to come inside.” Hospedales said.

The place he said was ransacked. “I could not believe it. Everything was on the ground. The draws were opened. All the clothes, all our documents on the ground. The place was a mess.” Hospedales said he believes the intruders were searching for money. “You are hearing it on Facebook, you are hearing talks on the streets that Petrotrin workers already collected this ‘handsome package’. But this is not true. And these criminals are preparing themselves to rob.”

Hospedales said he believes that is just the beginning and their would be many more attacks on Petrotrin employees.