00:00Doma says despite alerts issued last year, criminals continue to strike, stealing tens of thousands of dollars in merchandise.
00:08Doma says between 8 and 12 businesses have been burglarized over the last month, with some premises targeted more than once.
00:16Doma president Gregory Abood told TV6 News today that the scale of the thefts and the type of items being stolen suggests an organized operation.
00:25He says the association issued a security circular on December 30th, warning of the growing threat, but burglaries have continued.
00:34One of the victims of this was in a building in which the owners of that building were informed by the circular on November, on December 30th,
00:45that we were under a siege in downtown Port Ospine at night and unfortunately nothing was done.
00:50Abood says Doma is urging business owners to take immediate action to protect their properties, particularly at street and first floor levels, as investigations continue.
01:02We are hoping that the public, especially the business people, take seriously the danger that exists at night time
01:09and that efforts are made immediately to protect the premises at street level and at first floor level
01:15until we can be sure that the situation has passed and the perpetrators have been arrested.
01:21Despite the ongoing crime wave, Abood says Doma remains hopeful about the future of the capital city,
01:28pointing to plans announced by the new administration and the importance of Port of Spain to national identity and tourism.
01:36We are attempting to be as positive as possible about the chances that the city of Port of Spain has,
01:47not only to survive what is taking place now, but also to turn around the current observed decline
01:58in the economic well-being of the city itself in the months ahead.
02:03The issue for us really is to convince the national community that you cannot have a country without a powerful capital city,
02:12that you cannot have a country without a town or a capital that people want to visit.
02:19And the first question that tourists ask when they disembark is where is your capital, where is your city?
02:26Abood also expressed confidence in the new commissioner of police,
02:30saying both the business community and the wider population believe meaningful change must come from the top.
02:37As far as the commissioner of police, I think that the general population,
02:42and I certainly think the business community, takes him seriously.
02:46He seems to take his job seriously and the well-being of his officers seriously.
02:52A difference has to be made and it has to come from the top, obviously.
02:56However, he stops short of recommending specific policing strategies,
03:02stressing that investigations ought to focus on where the stolen merchandise is being sold.
03:08I don't think it is appropriate for us to suggest what mechanisms should be used to protect the city at night.
03:16But we also feel it is important that the police make some arrests and find out where this merchandise is going.
03:23It's too much merchandise, there must be some avenue by which this merchandise is being sold.
03:31Abood confirmed that one suspect was arrested earlier today and says Doma hopes that the arrest will lead police
03:38to those behind the wider network of burglaries.
03:42Alexander Brussel, TV6 News.
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