By NALINEE SEELAL Monday, January 21 2013

Two brazen-faced bandits held up the manager and employees of Khan’s Gold Designs at Frederick Street, Port-of-Spain, on Saturday and escaped with a quantity of jewelry valued over $2.5 million dollars.

However, officers of the Port-of-Spain CID, who were on an anti-crime exercise, spearheaded by Snr Supt Wayne Boyd and acting ASP Ajith Persad, saw the two suspects running away from the jewelry store and quickly nabbed one of the men, who was searched and a quantity of jewelry found in his possession.

The suspect, who is 18, from East Dry River, Port-of-Spain, was up until yesterday assisting the police in their investigation.

According to reports, at about 3 pm on Saturday, the manager of the store, Sharmain Khan and employees were conducting sales when two men, armed with guns, entered the businessplace and announced a hold-up.

The gunmen ordered Khan and her employees to a corner of the store and threatened to kill or shoot anyone who attempted to raise an alarm.

Employees were asked to place their cellphones on the floor, as one bandit kept watch over the frightened staff.

The other gunman then emptied the showcases. When he was finished, threats were again made to employees to desist from alerting the police.

However, as the two men ran out of the store with the bags containing the jewelry, a party of officers led by Cpl Anthony Williams and including PCs Hosten, Porter, Clarke and others saw the suspects and managed to nab one of them.

The suspect was searched and taken to the Port-of-Spain CID where he was handed over to senior officers.

Newsday was told the police are confident of making a breakthrough in this robbery, and late Saturday they viewed CCTV footage from the area to assist them in their investigation.

Also yesterday, Deputy Police Commissioner Mervyn Richardson was high in praise of the quick response of the team of officers who nabbed one of the two suspects and noted he too was confident of a breakthrough in this investigation.

He said due to the robbery on Saturday afternoon, the police will now be rethinking several of their anti-crime measures already in place for the city of Port-of-Spain.

Late last year the police launched a safe city initiative which saw a combined team of officers from the Police Service, City Police, Transit officers, Port Authority security officers and others teaming up to assist in the fight against crime.

However, the police now believe that bandits may be using a different strategy of striking when the city has few people around, especially late on Saturdays or Sundays.

However DCP Richardson made it clear the police will use all legal means necessary to flush out criminal elements from their hiding places, and win the war against crime.

Also in Saturday’s exercise, the team of officers seized two stolen cars, issued 58 tickets, and arrested ten others for various offences such as robberies, outstanding warrants, woundings and other serious crimes.

Similar anti-crime exercises are being planned for the city of Port-of-Spain in the coming days.