- no
response from 911 in hours
A city gas station was the scene of an early morning ordeal, when for
the third time in four months, there was a violent attack and robbery,
and the establishment’s owner is understandably upset.
According to Keith Correia, manager of the Esso Gas Station on
Vlissengen Road, three female staffers, who were on duty in the
super-mart and who were “terrorized”, immediately quit work and
there are suspicions that this latest incident is the work of one
specific gang of young men.
Correia expressed dissatisfaction over the police’s response and said
that employees who witnessed the robbery tried repeatedly to call 911
for two hours, but their efforts were futile.
What was significant about the robbery, the angry official pointed out,
was the fact it was the third time since April that the business place
had been attacked, and in all cases it was on a holiday.
The three bandits used their handguns to break a bulletproof door to
an inner office, lifting it from the frame in their bid to enter.
Handguns
A significant quantity of cash was also stolen.
While the gas station continued to sell gas to customers, the super-mart
remained close as at midday attempts were being made to clean up the
mess left behind.
According to Correia, the robbery occurred shortly after 07:00 hrs when
two customers were making purchases in the super-mart. The three men,
unmasked and said to be very young, entered and without pretending to be
customers, immediately declared their intentions.
“They put two of my employees on the ground along with the two
customers and demanded that the third one open the door to the inner
office…but she told them that she did not have the code.”
According to the businessman, the inner office door is secured by an
electronic lock which requires a code to open it.
The bandits, using the butt of their handguns, repeatedly slammed it
into the bulletproof glass, damaging it to a point where they were able
to lift it away from the frame. Consequently, they managed to enter the
inner office where they took the cash.
The businessman disclosed that pump attendants, working outside, had
notice the commotion in the office and fled over to the nearby Shell gas
station where they attempted to call the police on 911, but for almost
two hours there was no answer.
Finally the police came, and according to Correia, instead of asking
about the particulars of the bandits, were more concerned about how much
cash was stolen.
“They could have saved valuable time and probably put out an alert,
but this is frustrating.”
This much was expressed to the police who were not too happy with
Correia.
On Easter Monday, April 5, and on July 4, Caricom Day, the gas station
was attacked in similar fashion. The last time, bandits removed
surveillance cameras and a monitor during the rampage.
“What I am saying is that the police know who the people are… where
to search and where they live. Plus they were not wearing masks,” a
frustrated Correia stated.
In one of the previous robberies, the police had arrested the driver of
the getaway car who then fingered a suspect who he said paid him
$25,000.
The businessman disclosed that while the suspect was identified and made
a statement, he was let loose. Correia said that his staffers are
fearful of giving evidence in court.
“These are the same employees who have to work late and right now
nobody wants to work on the 3-11 shifts where they have to go to catch a
bus. We don’t have a witness protection system here, where people can
be protected.”
According to Correia, on Sunday, alert staffers had noticed a man who
was “staking out” the gas station and the individual was told that
“it would be best to leave since people are becoming uncomfortable. He
jumped in a bus and left.”
This same young man was recognized as one of the perpetrators of the
latest attack. The businessman urged for police to increase their
presence, based on crime statistics, to monitor critical areas,
including gas stations.
Tuesday, August 03,
2010
