…heroine pleased

(Trinidad Express) The man disarmed and disabled by the woman he intended to rob, has turned out to be a dangerous criminal suspect wanted by police in connection with murder, kidnapping and robberies.

The suspect was charged on Wednesday night with possession of arms and ammunition and with attempted robbery in connection with his bungled attempt to steal from mother of two, Dianne Baptiste.

Baptiste’s courageous fight-back to protect herself and her teenage daughters from the man who turned up at her Williamsville home, has triggered a groundswell of support.

It was on Monday morning that Baptiste saw the man in her front yard and ran out to ask him his business there. The man said he came to rob and reached for a sawed-off shotgun tucked in his pants waist.

Baptiste grabbed him by the collar, knocked him to the ground, smashed him on the head with her flowerpots and took away the gun, all while keeping him face down in an arm lock.

When he wriggled free, she chased after him despite injuring her finger and toe.

The suspect yelled for help from an accomplice who never came.

Police led by Sgt Don Gajadhar arrested the bleeding suspect within the hour.

By that time, he had already changed his clothing and was hustling along a rural road he did not know.