Armed men rob homeowner during Zoom meeting in East Lakes; police delayed by security

Armed men forcibly entered a home in the gated East Lakes community on ReadyMix Road, Tumpuna Road South, Arima on March 3, 2026, while the female homeowner was participating in a live Zoom meeting with colleagues. The intruders accosted the victim and reportedly tied her up during the robbery. Colleagues witnessing the incident in real time immediately contacted police after seeing her being confronted by the armed men. Police officers from the Arima Criminal Investigations Department responded to the distress call but were initially denied entry to the gated compound by SWAT Security personnel, who refused to open the gate despite being informed of the active robbery in progress. Security officers claimed they had instructions not to allow unmarked vehicles onto the premises and questioned how police could confirm a robbery was occurring. Even after marked police vehicles arrived, entry was still denied until senior police officers intervened. By the time police eventually gained access to the residence, the suspects had already fled the scene just minutes before arrival. The victim, visibly traumatized, reported that the men had escaped by jumping over a wall within the compound and running along a nearby drain to evade capture. No arrests were made at the time of the report.