Laurel V Williams
A family of seven from south Trinidad was violently awakened in their home by gunmen who pretended to be police.
Police said the ordeal happened around 3 am on November 4 when the family, including five children, was awakened by shouts of “Police! Police!” outside their home along the SS Erin Road in Phillipine, the same community where Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar SC lives.
According to reports, six masked gunmen kicked open the front door and stormed the house.
They demanded money from home-owner Vijay Ragoonanan, a gardener.
Ragoonanan told them he had no money, but the intruders struck him several times in the face with their guns.
At the time, he was in a bedroom with his wife and two of their children, including a seven-year-old.
The attackers then tied everyone’s hands with tie straps and used duct tape to tie their feet.
The attackers ransacked the house, stealing an undisclosed amount of cash, cellphones, and other valuables before escaping.
Police from the Southern Division responded and searched for the suspects without luck.
Investigations are ongoing.
