In the height of the Carnival season, thieves broke into the Sangre Grande branch of Republic Bank yesterday, carting away an undisclosed sum of money. The bank’s general manager, group marketing and communications, Anna-Maria Garcia-Brooks, in a telephone interview yesterday, confirmed the theft took place in the wee hours of the morning. The bandits, Garcia-Brooks said, gained entry at the back of the bank and stole the money from the vault.
“The perpetrators, as far as I am aware have not yet been apprehended,” she added. “They did get away with a quantity of cash, but I can’t confirm the amount at this time. We are hopeful the police apprehend them.” Garcia-Brooks said the bank’s security staff have been working with the police, who are investigating and had been watching footage from the bank’s security cameras to identify the culprits. She explained that it was not normal practice to have security officers stationed at any bank after working hours.
“I don’t think any of the banks do that. You don’t have 24-hour security.” Asked if this was the first time this branch had been targeted, Garcia-Brooks said, “It’s the first time in recent memory. We have not had something like this in many, many years.”