Arouca men nabbed for robbing ‘Lotto Booth’ in Tunapuna

Two suspects of Arouca, of age 29-year-old and 30-year-old, exchanged gunfire with police officers in an attempt to escape from them after trying to rob a ‘Lotto booth’ in Tunapuna at Trinidad and Tobago on Tuesday. 

However, one of them was shot dead while the other was captured when they failed to escape, and their car crashed into the premises of the police station. 

Details of the incident

According to the police, they conducted an intelligence operation, which started around midday on Tuesday. The Officers from the North Central Division Gang and Intelligence Unit kept their eyes on the owner/driver of a white Nissan AD wagon that was seen in Tunapuna with two suspicious-looking men.

In the evening, officers saw one of the suspects leave a house on Bazilon Street in Tunapuna and change the car’s licence plate. After this, the two men went to a lotto booth located on the Eastern Main Road opposite the Tunapuna Market.

While the driver was waiting in the car, the passenger, who was armed with a gun, came out of the vehicle and walked towards the attendant who had just closed the business site.

However, the victim raised the alarm and struggled to get away from the site, but as police officers intervened, the situation forced the armed suspect to point the gun at the ranks. Noting this, the ranks returned fire as the armed accused ran towards a waiting car.

According to the sources, the driver ran away from the scene, and the investigating officers followed them on Eastern Main Road. However, after a short distance, the driver lost control, and the car crashed into the wall of the Tunapuna Police Station.

Meanwhile, the two suspects were arrested, and officers seized a Smith & Wesson firearm, a magazine and 14 rounds of 9mm ammunition. Moreover, they also recovered five spent 9mm shells.

The injured suspect was eventually taken to the Eric William Medical Science Complex at Mt Hope. The investigation is ongoing. 

Additionally, people across the region took to their Facebook handle to express their opinions. One such comment by a person named Junior Timothy read as, “Good work but not criminal work so long they have gun they should ahbe RIP.”