(THE GUARDIAN) Keen observation and quick response saved a woman from being raped and may have saved her life from a man who boarded her taxi at D’Abadie and announced a hold-up.
The woman, a taxi-driver was taken to the Sangre Grande Hospital where she was treated but remains traumatized.
Her vehicle was recovered and the man arrested.
He is to be charged with kidnapping, robbery, and larceny of a vehicle.
Police reported that around 1:30 pm today the victim was plying her taxi, a silver Nissan Sentra along the Eastern Main Road, when she was stopped by a passenger, a man of African descent and drove off.
The victim stopped her vehicle to drop off a passenger at Cleaver Road, Arima and as the passenger alighted the man put the vehicle ‘s gear on neutral and ordered the female driver to the front passenger seat, occupied the driver’s seat and drove off.
The victim reported that the man ordered her to remain quiet as he was not going to hurt her and ordered she pass the cash.
She obliged, but the man kept driving into the Churchill Roosevelt Highway and turned into Cumuto and into Sangre Grande onto the Toco Main Road. The victim told police she was scared and her fright developed when she saw the man driving into Toco Road.
PCs Thomas and Rennie of Sangre Grande Traffic Branch were directing traffic because of WASA repairing a broken water line and cause the driver to slow down, the victim opened the door and rushed out calling the police officers for help.
PCs Thomas and Rennie responded and the driver tried to speed off but came into contact with another vehicle, when he opened the door of the vehicle and dashed for his escape. He was subdued after a short chased, arrested and taken to the Sangre Grande Police Station, where he was handed over to Sgt Harper of Sangre Grande CID.
The man a 40-year-old of Sherwood Street, Arima is being interrogated by police officers and reports revealed that he is well known by the Arima police.
Investigators said the victim wept as she made her report and thanked PCs Thomas and Rennie as they both saved her life. She was being taken to Toco and God knows what was the kidnapper’s intention. “Thank GOD I have been rescued from this criminal element.”
