For over a year now, the people of Cascade have been living under siege, and it becomes more critical every day.
I am referring to the ongoing invasion of homes by a small group of armed bandits who operate in broad daylight, accessing the area via the Lady Young Road. Bandits have been coming through the band of forest bordering the Lady Young Road, to monitor homes and then attack the residents.
When these attacks began over a year ago, the modus operandi was to watch the targeted homes, usually those high up on the various streets and avenues, and therefore close to the cover of the forest, and then break into the homes known to be empty. However, this form of attack set off the alarms and the thieves had limited time to rob and vandalise the homes.
By sitting hidden in the forested areas, looking down upon the houses, the bandits realised that residents returning home, especially in daylight hours when most people are at work, were soft targets for ambush, assault and entering the homes while holding the homeowners hostage.
I am referring to the ongoing invasion of homes by a small group of armed bandits who operate in broad daylight, accessing the area via the Lady Young Road. Bandits have been coming through the band of forest bordering the Lady Young Road, to monitor homes and then attack the residents.
When these attacks began over a year ago, the modus operandi was to watch the targeted homes, usually those high up on the various streets and avenues, and therefore close to the cover of the forest, and then break into the homes known to be empty. However, this form of attack set off the alarms and the thieves had limited time to rob and vandalise the homes.
By sitting hidden in the forested areas, looking down upon the houses, the bandits realised that residents returning home, especially in daylight hours when most people are at work, were soft targets for ambush, assault and entering the homes while holding the homeowners hostage.
This form of attack saw bandits forcing people to open their homes to attack. Homeowners are often tied up and blindfolded while the bandits ransack the house.
Attacks have also been made upon people who had the temerity to simply walk on to their lawn or porch, only to have three armed young men swoop down upon them and force them into the house. There is no opportunity to resist or set off any alarm in this type of attack.
Upon completion of their raids, the bandits head back up the steep hillside, through trails in the forest, and exit on Lady Young Road from where they can head down into the Belmont area and “disappear”.
Attacks have also been made upon people who had the temerity to simply walk on to their lawn or porch, only to have three armed young men swoop down upon them and force them into the house. There is no opportunity to resist or set off any alarm in this type of attack.
Upon completion of their raids, the bandits head back up the steep hillside, through trails in the forest, and exit on Lady Young Road from where they can head down into the Belmont area and “disappear”.
In some cases, they go straight to vehicles which are parked on some of the gravel roads leading off Lady Young Road, and even in that area behind the hairpin bend above the Hilton Trinidad hotel.
The stolen goods are then moved by car to “fences” operating in the Malick and Morvant areas. These “fences” are “known to the police” because private security investigators have identified their “places of business”.
Now, so far there have been no deaths or serious injuries to the victims of these attacks. But some have been badly terrorised and traumatised in the sanctity of their homes.
The stolen goods are then moved by car to “fences” operating in the Malick and Morvant areas. These “fences” are “known to the police” because private security investigators have identified their “places of business”.
Now, so far there have been no deaths or serious injuries to the victims of these attacks. But some have been badly terrorised and traumatised in the sanctity of their homes.
The only incident, out of hundreds over the past year, which made the news was the bandits’ attack upon the home a French Diplomat living in Cascade. Arrests were made but the attackers went free because the witnesses were reluctant to come forward. But the police know that the ongoing attacks are being carried out by these same people, all of whom, we have learned, have outstanding warrants.
When called, the police usually arrive within half an hour. But that is much too late, for the attackers are already on their way up the hill when the victim calls. What is required, and what we expect from the police now, is that when they get a call, they immediately seal Lady Young Road at the “lookout” and at the Belmont Police Station. They will catch the perpetrators with the stolen goods.
The people of Cascade do not want a meeting with the Minister of National Security or the Commissioner of Police. What we require is that the police meet quietly with us and then use the data to be provided to arrest these bandits.
The police will discover that the people of Cascade, through their own initiatives, can provide the names of these bandits, their habits, their arrest records and the number of times they have been released on bail.
We know that three of them travel the neighbourhood in a silver Almera, posing as people who want to buy avocados from visibly laden trees.
They become quite insistent in their attempts to enter people’s yards to “pick zabocas”. We will provide the number of this vehicle.
The people of Cascade will put aside the fear of going to court to testify against these thugs. We know that they are “more coward” than we are. And we know that the fear they try to impose upon us is the “insurance” they hold against going to jail.
And it is not just me who knows all this. These facts are known through the community, and the word is spreading.
Every incident and every movement is being tracked, so, as one e-mail states “if it becomes necessary to kill one of them, the facts of their terrorism will be well documented”.
If the police cannot, or will not do their job in this matter, then it will be done by the people.
It should not have to come to this.
When called, the police usually arrive within half an hour. But that is much too late, for the attackers are already on their way up the hill when the victim calls. What is required, and what we expect from the police now, is that when they get a call, they immediately seal Lady Young Road at the “lookout” and at the Belmont Police Station. They will catch the perpetrators with the stolen goods.
The people of Cascade do not want a meeting with the Minister of National Security or the Commissioner of Police. What we require is that the police meet quietly with us and then use the data to be provided to arrest these bandits.
The police will discover that the people of Cascade, through their own initiatives, can provide the names of these bandits, their habits, their arrest records and the number of times they have been released on bail.
We know that three of them travel the neighbourhood in a silver Almera, posing as people who want to buy avocados from visibly laden trees.
They become quite insistent in their attempts to enter people’s yards to “pick zabocas”. We will provide the number of this vehicle.
The people of Cascade will put aside the fear of going to court to testify against these thugs. We know that they are “more coward” than we are. And we know that the fear they try to impose upon us is the “insurance” they hold against going to jail.
And it is not just me who knows all this. These facts are known through the community, and the word is spreading.
Every incident and every movement is being tracked, so, as one e-mail states “if it becomes necessary to kill one of them, the facts of their terrorism will be well documented”.
If the police cannot, or will not do their job in this matter, then it will be done by the people.
It should not have to come to this.
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