00:00Police are intensifying their search for a 46-year-old fire officer who was abducted from
00:05his Arima home over the weekend. The officer, identified as Bruce Lazama, an ambulance driver
00:11attached to the Northern Division, was last seen on Christmas Day. When he failed to report for
00:16duty on December 27th, relatives and workers became concerned. On Sunday, his brother visited
00:23Lazama's home at Andy Estate off the Arima Bypass Road and found the gate and front door open.
00:29A search of the house and yard turned up no signs of Lazama and calls to his cell phone went
00:35unanswered. Later that day, police located Lazama's silver Nissan Tida abandoned along Riverside Road.
00:43The vehicle was towed to the Arima police station and examined for evidence.
00:48Investigators reviewing CCTV footage from the home uncovered disturbing details. The footage showed
00:55that around 10pm on Saturday, two men entered the yard, confronted Lazama, assaulted him, tied him up
01:02and placed the hood over his head before forcing him into his own vehicle and driving off. Police also
01:09received information that one of Lazama's bank cards was used at an ATM in Arima, where approximately
01:152,500 was withdrawn. Search efforts have since been expanded, with assistance from the hunter's search
01:22and rescue team, as officers continue to follow several leads. Relatives say Lazama is a quiet,
01:29principled man who would never leave without informing his family, and they insist that he has no
01:35involvement in criminal activities. The Fire Services Association has described the incident as deeply troubling.
01:42Since then, the officers from both the Fire Service and the Association have been on the ground and in
01:51contact with the family. Our concern is obviously his safety as a priority and to assist them in managing the
02:00situation. We want to find Officer Lazama. Alexander Brucewell, TV6 News.
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