Philipsburg: ---The Armed Robbery Unit of the Police Department is busy investigating two armed robbery which is similar. According to a press release issued by the police they said the incidents occurred on Monday October 27 around 7:45pm and 9:20pm. The first incident occurred on Back Street close to a popular Indian Restaurant. According to the victims on both robberies there were at least three persons who took part in each of the robberies, they used a pistol and a knife to scare their victims. Police said the attackers in Back Street used a bicycle to escape from the scene while in Pointe Blanche where the second robbery took place they used a scooter.
Police said in both cases the victims claimed they were followed by their attackers who violently robbed them of their belongings. One of the victims was struck in his head with the butt of the gun by one of the robbers, as a result of which he suffered a small wound and was treated at the St. Maarten Medical center.
Detailed descriptions of the suspects were given to the detectives of the Special Robbery Unit, who immediately started the investigation into these two cases. Shortly after conducting their investigation in Backstreet, detectives of the Special Robbery Unit saw a man that fit the description of one of the suspects in these two cases.
When the suspect was told to give his name and identify himself, he could not do so; however he later gave police a false name. The suspect was arrested on the spot and taken to the Philipsburg Police station. At the police station the suspect was checked out and the name he had given was indeed a false. The young man turned out to be J.R. from St Maarten. Some of the items, found on the suspect in question turned out to be items belonging to one of the victims who were called to identify the items. The investigations are ongoing.
The victims in both cases have been identified as P.M., M.K.K. and N.S.R.