Police arrest three men in $200,000 extortion racket

POLICE have arrested three men suspected of extorting over $200,000 from more than a dozen people.

Officers of the North Central Division held the men on August 28 during a police operation.

After weeks of investigations and surveillance, the three suspects – a 39-year-old of Santa Cruz, a 33-year-old of St Joseph and a 26- year-old of Valsayn – were held on suspicion of demanding money by menace.

Police say the crimes spanned several months, and the men received multiple payments during that time.

The intelligence-led operation also included members of the Cyber Crime Unit and the Central Division’s Gang Unit, and was supervised by Snr Supt Smith, Snr Supt Simon, Supt Gyan, ASP Singh and Sgt Cielto.

Police urged victims of similar crimes to report them to their district police station so investigations can be launched.

Meanwhile, investigative work by Southern Division officers resulted in the arrest of a 14-year-old for storebreaking and larceny.

A businesswoman in Princes Town told police she locked her business premises on August 27, but when she returned on August 28, she saw the premises had been broken into and several boxes of goods were missing.

Police investigated and later that day arrested two suspects, a 27-year-old from Princes Town and a 14-year-old from New Grant.

Investigations are ongoing.