Pensioner, caretaker beaten in Maraval home invasion

An 84-year-old retired neurosurgeon from Maraval and his 42-year-old caretaker were robbed by five men who stormed the elderly man's home, beat, robbed and tied them up.

Reports say sometime between 7 pm and 7.45 pm on March 16, the victim and his caretaker were accosted by the men. They described one of the robbers as fair-skinned, while the others were dark-skinned.

After beating both men, the bandits tied them up and demanded cash. The caretaker said he heard one of the men, who had a gun pointed at him, speaking on a phone, with a man’s voice on the other end giving instructions.

The men demanded the homeowner show them his safe and open it. The victim gave them the keys to the safe and the men stole $21,000, as well as an undisclosed quantity of US dollars, pounds and sterling.

They also stole the elderly man's iPhone 11, valued at $7,000, a Smith & Wesson revolver (AHL 1947) with five rounds of 38 ammunition and 20 rounds of nine mm ammunition, which belonged to the man's wife.

The suspects ransacked the house, taking several boxes of alcohol and the DVR system. The victim’s gun was not in the safe and he was unsure if his FUL booklet had been taken.

The men also stole three motor vehicles: a brown Porsche Cayenne, a black Barbas Mercedes Benz and a white Land Cruiser 100 series, which had six "Hella" fog lights mounted on top and a black awning.

The victims managed to untie themselves and called the police. The elderly man was treated by the responding medical officer for a cut under his right foot, which was not life-threatening.

The Porsche was found abandoned not far from the home. Around 1 am on March 17, the Mercedes Benz was recovered at Bedassie Street, St Augustine.

Police say they are searching for several people in connection with the robbery.

In a separate incident, a 39-year-old woman from El Dorado was beaten with a gun by a man she knew as she prepared to end her night shift at a gas station in Carenage.

Around 6 am on March 16, the victim left the booth she was in to make routine checks at the gas pumps in preparation for a shift change. She saw a man she knew sitting on a sign near the pumps. She greeted him and he responded.

After finishing her duties, she walked back inside the booth to count cash and check balances. The man she saw earlier pushed the door open and forced his way into the booth, armed with a black object resembling a gun.

He demanded cash. A struggle ensued, and the man hit her several times on her body before stealing a black plastic bag containing $28,069. He then fled.

She said the man was of African descent, dark complexion, slim build, approximately 37 years of age, with low-cut black hair, an oval face and no known marks, scars, or tattoos.

He was approximately five feet five inches tall, wearing a white hard hat, a white long-sleeve shirt, an orange reflective vest and long black jeans.

The victim was taken to the St James Medical Complex, where she received medical treatment. Police are continuing their investigation.