THE Guyana Police Force continues to grapple with an increase in staged robberies and murders, something Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum says has been a major challenge for detectives this year.
Noting that 2015 was not without its challenges in general, Blanhum said yesterday during a luncheon for his staff at Police Headquarters, Eve Leary, “In my years of policing, I cannot recall coming across the number of staged robberies as was evident in 2015.” Another bugbear for the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), which he heads, was persons conspiring to commit murder, including instances where relatives were involved, as was the case where a man hired persons to rob him and his entire family just so as to stop his wife from leaving him. That incident took place three months ago in the Crabwood Creek area.

THE JETTOO AFFAIR
The man, Krishendatt Jettoo, who operates a business, was reportedly having issues with his wife, as a result of which she threatened to leave him.
Not wanting her to make good on her promise, Jettoo conspired with bandits to rob and beat his family in a fake attack.
But even back then, Blanhum had seen through the ploy, as he had named the businessman and a taxi driver friend of his among the key suspects in the robbery.
The case eventually began to unravel after the police nabbed the taxi driver who helped the bandits make their getaway.
Not knowing that the police were on to him, Jettoo had told the police that five men had invaded his home and carted off an undisclosed amount of cash and other valuables.

Weeks before that incident, another Berbician, one Deochand Sookchand, was charged with the murder of his wife.
Deochand had claimed that bandits had invaded his home and shot his wife, 56-year-old Pamela Kendall. And on Monday last, police recovered over $4M from another staged robbery in the city, for which three men have since been arrested.

GANG-RELATED
Meanwhile, the Crime Chief has reported making headway with what seemed to be gangs operating in some sections of the country.
One such gang operates around the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, terrorising unsuspecting visitors coming into the country, while others stake out banks.
As to the issue of piracy, Blanhum said that has been dealt with head-on, particularly in the Berbice area, where it is most prevalent.
With respect to white-collar crimes, which seems to have been on the increase particularly around the second half of the year, Blanhum said while the police are making some headway with those investigations, they’re having to depend heavily on the public where information is concerned.

GOOD JOB
Also present at the event was Commissioner of Police, Seelall Persaud who applauded the Criminal Investigation Department for their sterling performance in 2015 and the major support it has given to various other police divisions.
He reminded those present that the role of the department is to target organised crime and develop the capacity to do so through team work and team spirit, which is what they have clearly been doing.
For this, the Commissioner, himself a former Crime Chief, awarded the department $400,000, as it has truly proven the saying that “A system is far bigger than its parts”.
Urging that they give themselves a pat on the back for all they have been able to achieve, he recalled that even the Commander-in-Chief himself had cause to commend them recently, and remarked, “We’re finally able to make it around the corner…” in obvious reference to strides they have been making of late.
Persaud also spoke of the need for the department to increase its manpower, saying that the CID was free to take its pick from the 1200 persons who will be soon be joining the Force come next year.
He also said he has it from good grounds that the new year will see a significant reduction in serious and traffic-related crimes.
Persaud was also presented with a token for the work he has done with the CID between 2007 and 2014.
He was also credited with establishing the Major Crime Investigation Unit, which focuses on high-profile murders, fraud and robberies.

By Leroy Smith