Robbery accused escape: police leave cell unlocked

Members of the Inter Agency Task Force (IATF), the North Eastern and Port of Spain divisions are on the hunt for two men after San Juan police forgot to lock the door to the cell in which they were being held.

Senior police sources yesterday confirmed that Jahim Allman, 29, of 16th Street Beetham and Shad Lavia, 20, of Carpenter Street, Morvant were arrested over the weekend by San Juan police. They are suspected of breaking into an American Stores warehouse in Aranguez.

At around midday on Sunday, police making the rounds of the holding cells of the station saw both men had escaped, and realised the cell door had not been locked.

They notified the IATF, who began combing parts of Morvant and Beetham, but could not find the men.

Newsday understands the incident attracted the attention of the Professional Standards Bureau, which is investigating the escape. Internal disciplinary action is expected.