An armed gang of men boarded a cargo vessel docked near the Port of Spain waterfront and robbed three men of cash and valuables on Sunday night.
Police said the incident occurred around 10.30 p.m. aboard the vessel C Elizabeth II, which was secured alongside a barge for repairs in the vicinity of the Hyatt Regency (Trinidad) hotel.
About 12 men armed with guns, cutlasses and axes boarded the vessel and announced a robbery.
The victims included the vessel’s captain, a Grenadian national, a crew member from Malick, Barataria, and another from St Vincent.
The bandits robbed the men of several items, including cellphones, gold and silver jewelry, a GPS system, a 100-lb oxygen tank, a 100-lb gas tank, an inflatable dinghy and a small engine.
The value of some items was not immediately determined.
Police said the suspects fled the scene in a pirogue.
Bandits return
stolen dinghy
Following the robbery, the captain reported that around 5 a.m. on Monday, he observed a group of men in a pirogue approaching the vessel and attaching a dinghy before leaving the area.
Checks found that the dinghy was the one stolen during the robbery.
Several other items reported stolen, including an engine, a gas tank and other equipment, were found inside.
Cpl Balchan and PC Phillip processed and photographed the scene, while PC Dopwell recorded the report and requested CCTV (closed-circuit television) footage.
Statements are expected to be provided at a later date. PC Dopwell is continuing enquiries.
Contacted for comment yesterday, a senior police officer said he could not recall an incident like this happening before, and so near the heart of the capital city.
President of the Shipping Association of Trinidad and Tobago Troy Persad said last night the association would look into the incident.
Minister of Works and Infrastructure Jearlean John said last night she was unaware of the incident.
