(Trinidad Express) Arima Mayor Ghassan Youseph was robbed of a gold chain valued at $6,000 while walking among revellers participating in yesterday’s Borough Day Jouvert celebrations.
Almost immediately, one suspect was arrested and the search continued for three others, who police believe were part of the well-orchestrated robbery against Mayor Youseph.
Youseph described the incident as unfortunate, saying he was happy no life was lost and that the Jouvert celebrations did not have major incidents.
During a telephone interview with the Sunday Express, Youseph said he was ambushed and didn’t see the incident coming since the suspect pretended he wanted to meet him.
He said: “I was just was back to the Town Hall after watching the bands on Hollis Avenue, when this guy walked up to me and tried to hug me. I mean, I don’t know the guy and as his hands moved slowly off, he grabbed my chain and fled. I also believe that there were other persons who were part of what happened.
“My police (escort) attempted to detain them and I ran to the Arima Police Station and made a report and one of the guys was arrested. In the scheme of things and a chain being grabbed, I thank God that was the only serious thing coming out from the celebrations,” he said.
He added, “This is really a sad thing. It happens all the time, but today it happened to me… a normal person. We have a crime problem in Trinidad and Tobago and there’s no question about that.”
Youseph also warned would-be victims to be alert for a gang of professional criminals who are targeting innocent people.
“These people are professionals. I want to tell the public that anyone coming up to you face-to-face and you don’t know them, be extremely careful because they are probably up to something,” Youseph said.
Police said around 7 a.m. Youseph was walking along Broadway, east of the Arima Dial, when a man approached him, pretending he wanted to meet and greet the Mayor. The man then pulled Youseph’s chain from his neck.
Youseph’s lone escort, a police officer from the Arima Municipal police, attempted to detain the suspect but was shoved by a another man, believed to be an accomplice , before the suspects disappeared into the crowd.
An off-duty police officer, who observed what had transpired, managed to detain the suspect who had snatched Youseph’s chain, but the jewelry was not recovered. The suspect, who police said is in his late 20s and from Sangre Grande, remained in police custody last night.
Officers believe the chain was passed to one of the suspect’s accomplices, who managed to escape.
After the robbery, Jouvert celebrations—which started at 6 a.m. and were expected to last until 10 a.m.—were cut short by police, as they turned off the music and asked revellers to head home.
Police said apart from the incident involving the Mayor, there were minor scuffles during which revellers sustained head and face lacerations.
The celebrations were set to get off to a later start this year because of stabbings, shootings and a high incidence of violence in the past.
