The TTPS says the recent crimes seen in the Rio Claro district was a cause for concern.
It however noted that fleet management challenges which affected the Emergency Response Patrols (ERP) in the district were quickly rectified and resulted in a meaningful breakthrough into the crimes affecting the community.
This from Acting Commissioner of Police, Mc Donald Jacob as he commented on the arrest of suspects linked to a spate of crimes in the Rio Claro district.
Calls have been made by Mayaro MP Rushton Paray for the T&T Police Service to bring back the Emergency Response Patrol in Rio Claro, following an increase in violent home invasions, armed robberies and petty theft.
The latest incident occurred on Friday night when armed robbers entered a house in Rio Claro and robbed the occupants, before raping a teenage girl in her bedroom.
The family did not have many valuables and the thieves made off with $50 and a quantity of costume jewellery.
The night before, an elderly couple was also held at gunpoint as they watched television. The robbers beat the elderly man, demanding money. All he had was $100 in cash, but the armed thieves took four gold rings, a 32-inch television, a Amazon Fire Tablet, three cell phones and a generator.
Officers attached to the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), in a combined effort with the Rio Claro Criminal Investigations Department (CID)/ Task Force conducted extensive enquiries, under the supervision of Snr Supt Khan.
The officers gathered intelligence and a plan was executed around 8.30pm on Saturday . During the operation, officers intercepted a silver Tiida motor vehicle with three occupants at Libertville, Rio Claro.
The officers searched the vehicle and discovered one Glock pistol with an extended magazine, containing seven rounds of nine-millimetre ammunition and another pistol magazine in the vehicle.
The driver, a 35-year-old man from Moruga, a 43-year-old man of Moruga and a 24-year-old of Siparia and Enid Village, Rio Claro were all arrested for being in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Search warrants were executed at the homes of the three suspects where items of evidential value were found at the home of the driver of the vehicle, namely one generator, one mobile phone and jewellery.
Enquiries are presently being conducted with the suspects in relation to recent robberies in the district.
COMMENTS