By DENISE MAYCOCK
Tribune Freeport Reporter
dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
FREEPORT – An armed robber was shot and killed by police and a second suspect was taken into custody on Wednesday following a daring daylight jewellery heist and shoot-out at Circle Mall.
Police are searching for a third male suspect, who fled on foot into nearby bushes after crashing the getaway vehicle not far from the scene.
The new indoor mall, made up of some 40 stores, opened just two weeks ago.
According to police reports, two masked armed men entered the mall and held up an employee at Goldylocks Jewellery Store.
Supt Melvin Lundy, officer in charge of Central Division, said police received a report shortly after 11am of an armed robbery in progress at the Mall.
When officers arrived at the scene, they saw two suspects attempting to flee.
Supt Lundy reported that one suspect ran to the rear of the mall. He said a second suspect got into a grey Nissan Centra vehicle that was waiting outside, and began shooting at the police.
The officers returned fire and the suspects’ vehicle crashed.
While checking the vehicle, Police discovered one of the suspects with a gunshot injury. An illegal firearm and ammunition was also recovered from the vehicle.
Police also recovered a quantity of stolen jewellery at the rear of the Mall.
Mr Lundy said EMS personnel were assisting the suspect, who died of his injuries at the scene.
Police cordoned off the area, blocking all access points in and around the Circle Mall as a team of investigators collected evidence at the scene.
A number of employees at Circle Mall gathered at the rear of the mall.
“Y’all need to kill all of them!” one woman shouted to an officer.
A woman employee at Goldylocks Jewellery, who was arriving for her noon shift, was unable to enter the premises.
“I was driving to work and saw the area blocked off by police,” she said as she stood behind the yellow crime tape that blocked her entry.
Mr Lundy said police are searching for a third man, the driver of the getaway vehicle, who escaped on foot into nearby bushes.
Comments
John 11 years, 6 months ago
With these places offerering cash for gold not are ordinary citizens being robbed of their gold and jewelery but the criminals who trade gold for cash are also getting ripped off. Take for example a house was recently burgularised and robbed of jewelery valued in excess of $7,000.00 mostly gold. The thieves were caught and admitted they stole the jewelery, but said they pawned it off for less than $1,000.00. Some of this jewelery was new and most in mint condition. While the cash for gold shop claimed they melted it down for 'scrap', no doubt they took it to another country and sold it as jewelery where some of the items can fetch MORE than their original price. Who, in their right mind, would melt down a new piece of jewelery with diamonds valued over $2,000 and sell for scrap gold at $200 or $300? these pawn shops need to be investigated and some shut down!
spoitier 11 years, 6 months ago
It should be illegal to buy products without showing ownership papers, a person can't buy a car or house without it, but they let the pawn shop get away with it.
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