A daring pre-planned robbery attempt targeting a TT rideshare driver in Laventille ended in failure over the weekend, after the quick-thinking driver used his car to strike one of his would-be attackers and escaped unharmed. The injured suspect was later taken into police custody after seeking hospital treatment.
The 29-year-old driver told local law enforcement that the incident unfolded on Saturday night, shortly after he picked up two female passengers at Port of Spain’s Independence Square just after 9:15 p.m. Operating a white MG vehicle, the driver followed the passengers’ directions to Wharton Branch Road in Laventille, unaware he was walking into a pre-arranged trap, according to preliminary investigative findings.
When the vehicle reached the requested destination, one of the two women exited the car first. Almost immediately, two armed men emerged from cover and approached the vehicle. One of the men, who was carrying a loaded firearm, publicly declared a robbery and ordered the driver to hand over all his valuables.
Instead of complying with the robbers’ demands, the driver acted instinctively and hit the gas to make an emergency escape. In the chaotic retreat, his vehicle collided with one of the two attackers. As the driver sped out of the area, the remaining gunman opened fire on the departing vehicle, firing multiple rounds in an attempt to stop him. The second female passenger, who had stayed in the vehicle during the confrontation, also fled the scene on foot after the driver escaped.
Remarkably, the driver emerged from the entire ordeal without any injuries. He immediately made his way to a safe location and filed an official report with the police department. Responding officers who arrived at the ambush site recovered a spent 9mm bullet casing from the ground, and forensics teams conducted a full examination of the driver’s vehicle to collect evidence for the ongoing investigation.
Law enforcement later tracked down the 19-year-old suspect struck by the driver’s vehicle when he arrived at Port of Spain General Hospital to seek medical care for his injuries. The suspect is currently being held at a police station as investigators continue working to identify and locate the other three accomplices still at large, including the second male attacker and the two female passengers who helped set up the ambush.