Suspects arrested in Western Union robbery case

Local police have arrested four men in connection with the March 15, 2008, daylight robbery of over $200,000 from the Western Union office in Kingstown.{{more}}

Glenroy Miller, of Ottley Hall, Anthony Doyle, of Edinboro, Eric Conliffe, of Kingstown Park and Leslie Ashton, of Campden Park were all denied bail and remanded to her Majesty’s Prison after appearing at the Serious Offences Court on Wednesday.

Reports state that on the day of the robbery, at approximately 7:30am, the Guardsman armored truck delivered the money to the Western Union office for the day’s operation. Shortly after, one man came up to the door and said that he was an electrician who was to do some work at the premises.

An employee is said to have made a call to the manager to confirm whether this was so. No such work was scheduled.

When the employee returned to tell this to the man, he and his accomplice forced their way into the building and demanded the money.

The men, who were not wearing masks, walked out with the two bags of money, and jumped into what one eye witness described as a brownish car bearing the number plate PP248.

It was later revealed that the license plate used on the vehicle was phony.

Defence Attorney Arthur Williams suggested that the men be given bail along with certain conditions. Second attorney, Bertram Stapleton, said that the prosecution never stated that the men were hard to locate, as some of them were picked up by police and released several times before.

For accused Ashton, it was his second appearance at the court in a two-day period, having appeared the day before on an assault charge. He was arrested and charged with pointing a gun at Sapphire Williams on March 2, 2008. In that case, Prosecutor Butcher objected to his bail, stating that the gun allegedly used in the matter was not retrieved. However, Chief Magistrate Sonya Young granted Ashton bail in the sum of $7,000, with one surety. That matter was adjourned to June 16.

The Western Union matter was adjourned to June 11, 2008, when the Preliminary Inquiry is scheduled to be held.