Three held in sting operation over Aranguez apartment scam

Two women and a man are in police custody after they "rented" an apartment they did not own to two different women.

Investigators said in the first incident a 35-year-old El Socorro woman reported she paid $3,500 to a woman for an apartment at Jury Rampersad Lane, Aranguez on February 25.

The woman said she met the other woman, who claimed to be the landlady, in the carpark of TruValu supermarket, El Socorro, where she was given a key.

The woman visited the apartment and tried to unlock the door but realised the key did not work. She tried to contact the landlady but was unsuccessful.

She then made a report to the police.

Police from the Barataria chargeroom and the North Eastern Division CID Crime Unit began surveillance at around 12.30 pm on Thursday.

They saw a 53-year-old woman believed to be one of the fraudsters receiving $2,800 from another woman on the Eastern Main Road, San Juan, and arrested her. She was interviewed and police later arrested a 42-year-old San Juan man.

Police said a 37-year-old woman, another suspect, came to meet the man, but tried to drive off when she saw the police cars. She was arrested a short distance away.

The trio are expected to be interviewed by police.