BlackFacts Details

Tenth person held in Port of Spain online robbery ring - Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

A Port of Spain man in his mid-twenties is the latest person to be arrested in relation to a series of robberies of online retailers in east Port of Spain.

Police said the man was arrested at around 1.50 pm on Monday at Calvary Hill, east Port of Spain.

He is the tenth person to be held for the robberies.

Investigators said police began investigations after online retailers reported being robbed by people pretending to be customers and making orders via social media accounts.

Speaking with Newsday, one senior officer in the Port of Spain Division said police have received reports of people stealing everything from cologne and watches to air-conditioning units from retailers.

He advised online retailers to be wary of making any transactions in unfamiliar areas and urged them to meet customers at a police station for any exchange of cash or goods.

"Most times they pretend to be customers who want to place an order for goods to be delivered. Especially now, because of the restrictions, most people will be shopping online to get their clothing and so on. A lot of these online retailers are making a killing.

"So we want the public to be aware of these trends that are on the rise.

"You can order anything from clothing to gym equipment online, and the criminals know this. Sometimes they may even pose as retailers themselves, because they know a potential customer will be walking with cash to make a purchase."

Police said the robberies typically happened between Oxford and Argyle Streets in east Port of Spain.

But the officer said the robbery of online retailers was not limited to the Port of Spain division alone, as at least one of the men arrested is also expected to appear in an identification parade in the Western and Southern divisions too.

The post Tenth person held in Port of Spain online robbery ring appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.

Selma Bridge Scene