Bandit caught in slain taxi driver's car during another hijacking

 - three escape, police rescue victim

An alert patrol from the Special Constabulary last night foiled a hijacking and recovered a car that was stolen from a taxi driver, who was murdered in Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara on Sunday night. The patrol managed to rescue another driver, who was being held by the bandits. The incident occurred on the Ogle Airstrip Road around 19:50 hrs.

Kaieteur News understands that two men hired the taxi from the Cummings Lodge area and took the driver to the Airstrip Road, while two other accomplices followed in another car, which was last night confirmed to be the one stolen from murdered taxi driver, Teddy Smith, 35, on Sunday night.

The driver told investigators that one of the bandits covered his mouth and eyes while another attempted to choke him.

Then, one of them suggested that the taxi driver be killed.

According to the driver, the men took him out of the vehicle and started to lash him about his body with a cutlass.

This only stopped when the bandits saw the lights of the patrol vehicle approaching and they quickly bundled the driver back into the car.

Kaieteur News understands that the patrol went into the area to pick up a colleague when they observed two suspicious cars parked near an open area popularly known as ‘Pradoville'.

The ranks stopped to enquire from the occupants if everything was okay.

“We stop and ask dem, ‘everything alright'. One ah de men seh ‘everything alright'.

But when we go fuh drive off, we hear a scream and by de time we could come out de vehicle, we see de men dem running away,” one of the ranks told this newspaper.

According to the ranks who are Special Constables, they were apprehensive about shooting at the men, but they tried to pursue.

However, the men disappeared into the darkness.

No shots were fired by the bandits as they fled, leaving behind two flop hats and a pair of slippers.

One of the two other bandits, who was in the murdered taxi driver car, without its licence plates, also managed to escape, leaving his 16-year-old colleague behind.

He was taken into custody and is being questioned by police.

The car, which was stolen from Smith, who was discovered on Quamina Road, Beterverwagting on Sunday night with multiple stab wounds, was subsequently identified by its owner at the Sparendaam Police Station.

Tuesday, October 26, 2004