Tobago chambers: 'All will be lost' if criminals roam free

VICE chairman of the Tobago Division of the TT Chamber of Industry and Commerce Demi-John Cruickshank is calling for swift action in the apprehension of the culprits behind last Wednesday’s jewellery heist at Caribbean Jewellers, Lowlands Mall.

According to police reports, on August 14, around 10.50am, a 27-year-old supervisor at Caribbean Jewellers was on duty when two armed men entered the store and pointed guns at the employees. One of the men handed a bag to the supervisor and ordered her to fill it with jewellery.

A 29-second CCTV video of the robbery showed two men in construction hats and safety jackets in the store with two people lying face-down on the ground. One of the bandits was seen kicking and stamping a security guard on his head. They left the store with a black garbage bag.

The security guard was taken to Scarborough General Hospital for treatment. His condition is not yet known as management at Caribbean Jewellers remain tight-lipped. This is the second time in four years this establishment was robbed.

Providing an update on Tobago Channel Five’s morning show on August 19, Inspector Alicia Piggott said some of the loot has been recovered.

Piggott said: “They would have recovered some of the jewellery in a track in the Lowlands area. The police is working on some leads and I am sure that very soon, someone – one or either two; somebody will be arrested for that robbery because they are following certain leads. I know that that lead will bring fruits very soon.”

Speaking with Newsday on August 16, Cruickshank described the situation as heartbreaking.

“I am calling on the police in Tobago to bring those perpetrators to justice. We cannot allow anybody like that to be running loose on the island and I hope that the judiciary would give them the full brunt of the law, because what we saw on the surveillance camera, there is no way we can have those people running about in Tobago – who want to do harm and destruction to our island.

"We have created this place as the capital of paradise, the greatest little island on the planet and we are not going to let anybody at all come from anywhere, even if it is home-grown, to destroy that image.”

Cruickshank said he was "comforted" that the police would do its utmost to catch the criminals as he referred to business leaders' August 11 meeting with both Minister in the Ministry of National Security Keith Scotland and Commissioner of Police Erla Harewood-Christopher at the Mt Irvine Bay Hotel.

“At that meeting, they did indicate that a number of initiatives would be taking place, actually starting on the island. We are comforted, as the business community, as the crime situation would be dealt with once and for all on the island.”

He added: “I see that the TTPS is paying very serious attention to Tobago and that is what we wanted to hear from both the Commissioner of Police and the minister. We are pleased that they indicated that serious steps would be taken in Tobago to quell any crime situation.”

Chairman of the Tobago Business Chamber Martin George is also calling upon the authorities to act urgently to preserve the safety, sanctity and security of the island. George said, otherwise, “it will all be lost.

“It is indeed unacceptable that we have seen a vicious and heinous robbery take place in the mall one day after there was a high-level meeting with the Minister in the Ministry of National Security, the Commissioner of Police and several other top officials in Tobago. What this shows is that there is a callousness and a heartlessness and a ruthlessness pervading Tobago, and that is why we of the Tobago Business Chamber have repeatedly said this needs to stop.

"We need to have the authorities redouble their efforts. They need to ramp up their efforts and maximise the security and safety in Tobago.”

He said coming out of the meeting, he remains “cautiously optimistic.”

Minority Leader Kelvon Morris said he was “shocked, yet deeply disturbed” by the brazen robbery.

“Criminals robbed a jewellery store and violently assaulted its workers. This behaviour is categorically unacceptable, and my heart goes out to those affected by this traumatic event.”

He said the time has come that some serious questions must be asked.

“Are these heinous acts a symptom of the harsh economic conditions in Tobago and the lack of strong leadership? These questions are not to ascribe blame but to treat with an issue, one must first understand all elements of the problem.”

He said, regardless, now is the time for all of Tobago to unite against this common enemy.

“Let’s work together to restore safety and security in our communities across Tobago.”