(Trinidad Guardian) A daylight robbery was foiled when two bandits believed to be in their early 20s from Longdenville and Rio Claro respectively were shot by security guards as they attempted to rob Savi’s Classic Jewelry located on the corner of Noel Street and Southern Main Road, Couva on Tuesday.
One of the bandits from Longdenville was fatally shot in his upper body and died at the store while the other was rushed to the Couva District Health Facility for treatment for bullet wound to his lower legs.
Jagdeo Seecharan, brother of the owner, said after opening the business around 10 am, two bandits entered the building around 11 am.
One of the bandits pointed a gun at the head of the worker and broke open a glass case.
Seecharan said when Ramsingh saw what was taking place she ran into the office.
Security guards on duty became alert to what was taking place and an exchange of gunfire took place.
Seecharan said despite the store being a stone’s throw away from the police station it has been burgalarised three times in the recent past.
Ramchand Rajbal-Maraj, the head of the Couva Point Lisas Chamber of Commerce, said the public has lost faith in the police.
He said that in the last seven days there had been a state of robberies in the Couva area and residents are running scared.
Rajbal-Maraj said the police station is ill-equipped to deal with the rapidly expanding population in Couva.
Couva South MP Rudranath Indarsingh said he is still to see the joint police and army patrols in Couva that were promised to him by the prime minister almost three years ago.
Indarsingh said that in his opinion, the whole of Couva has become a hotspot and was demanding answers from the authorities as to how the government is dealing with the ballooning crime problem.
Indarsingh said the commissioner of police is carded to meet with stakeholders next Wednesday at the Couva South constituency hall at 3.30 pm.