Bandits drop cell phone while fleeing cops

In their haste to escape police after robbing a family at gunpoint in San Fernando, a group of armed bandits jumped over a fence and dropped a cell phone.

Southern Division police believe that the contents of the phone can help them in their investigations. Investigators are also calling on the owner to claim the phone.

The victims reported to police that about 9.30 pm on Saturday, the driver of a black Nissan Tiida dropped off four men in front of the two-storey and left.

The house is at Retrench Village near the Solomon Hochoy Highway,

Four relatives, two men and two women, were in the living room upstairs and noticed the four, armed with guns and knives, jump the concrete wall.

Before the relatives had a chance to raise an alarm, the armed men ordered them to lay on the ground. They took off the lights and drew the curtains.

Police said, at gunpoint, they escorted a male relative to a room and stole about $4,000. They continued searching other rooms for more cash and valuables.

During the ordeal, the 65-year-old matriarch of the family locked herself in a room. Her husband, 72, was walking out another room when the gunman saw him.

“Pops, come here,” they ordered, and he complied.

A female relative downstairs, unaware of the reason for the noises, began calling relatives upstairs. The bandits seized the phone, went after her and returned upstairs to continue ransacking the house.

“One was constantly talking on the phone to someone on the lookout. He shouted, ‘Police on the way.” They were wrapping up when they saw blue lights outside,” an eyewitness told Newsday.

The flashing lights were police next door responding to the crime.

“The men were still in the house. They went to the back and jumped the chain-link fence. Apart from money, they took about six phones. Police found the phone in the yard.

Police are calling on anyone with information to contact the nearest police station. They are also call Ste Madeleine police at 653- 1023 or San Fernando police at 652-1771.

No one has been arrested.

In an unrelated incident, Point Fortin police arrested six teens for shop-breaking and larceny.

The 33-year-old female owner of Noel Mini Mart at Warden Road in New Village secured her business and left at about 6.30 am on Friday.

A report from the police said the owner returned the next morning and found the place broken into.

Items, including several snacks and cigarettes, were missing.

Snr Supt Cooper and Insp Jaggernath co-ordinated an exercise between 8 am and midday on Saturday and arrested the four. Sgt Ali supervised the exercise which included other officers of Point Fortin CID.

Three of the suspects are 14, two are 17 and the last, 18.