RESIDENTS of Fahey Street in Gulf View who heard their dogs barking in a frenzy shortly after 9 p.m. on Thursday believed that it was because the garbage truck making its rounds.
But in one of the households, a family was being held at gunpoint by three men.
In just five minutes, the gunmen reigned terror as they forced the family to lie on the floor, and one of the victims was struck on the head with the butt of a gun.
Only when the gun-toting thieves ran and escaped with the loot, members of the victimised family raised an alarm and the neighbourhood realised that a family was attacked.
Police said the family was entering their home at around 9.10 p.m. when they were accosted by three criminals, all of whom carried firearms.
A police report said the family was in the living room area when the three men who were clad in ski masks and gloves held up the family and ordered them to lie on the living room floor.
They stole jewellery valued at $3,000, as well as $3000 which represented the day’s sales at the family’s store, passports, identification cards and a driver’s permit.
The thieves ran through the backyard and escaped along a storm drain.
PC Thomas and officers of the San Fernando CID responded and canvased the area for CCTV footage and are continuing investigations.
The incident was the second incident in Gulf View in as many days.
On Wednesday at Seaview Parkway, a homeowner locked and secured his residence at around 11.30 a.m. and retired to bed.
Less than an hour later, he awoke after he heard a noise outside his bedroom.
He got up to check his premises and observed two men – one clad in an orange coverall and a face mask armed with a chopper, and the other man with a black mask over his face - standing in his doorway.
The victim raised an alarm and both intruders exited the house and escaped.
Responding police officers said entry was gained by cutting open the burglar proofing of a window.
A member of the Residents’ Association of Gulf View and Residents Association of Bel Air Viliana Ramoutarsingh told the Express on Friday that the residents have been thrown into a state of deep concern over the incidents in the last two days.
Last year when other residents were attacked in their homes, Ramoutarsingh had told the Express that the residents were seeking to implement measures in their community to make it safer, such as gating certain areas and disallowing public traffic during certain hours.
On Friday, Ramoutarsingh said in a what’s app text message, ”The residents are still awaiting any sort of response from Mayor (San Fernando mayor Junia Regrello) and MP (San Fernando West MP Faris Al-Rawi) regarding gating, no thoroughfare and security measures. This even after several meetings/letters and petitions highlighting same.”
Another member of the association, Nello Ramkissoon, said that the residents should hold a meeting next week when they should address the issue of stepping up patrols.
“These two incidents in consecutive days are very alarming. We would like to nip this situation in the bud”, said Ramkissoon.
