myTobago – your questions, review and comment about Tobago

Out in Tobago at the moment and heard over lunch that Richard Wheeler and his wife have been killed in Bethel. Sounds like a robbery, where both parties have been chopped.

We met Richard when he did the conveyancing on our villa purchase in 2004 and he was such a lovely man. I was only saying how quiet things have been here recently...I should have kept my mouth shut

very sad indeed...just wondering if it's got anything to do with the previous chopping incidents...

So awful, Richard was also our conveyancer and was indeed pleasant and charming. Here is the news article today http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2015-10- ... wife-slain

RIP to the Wheelers.

I received the news mid-afternoon yesterday. Words fail me. I was hoping to get some more solid details before posting an announcement here, but must confess that nothing that casts any light on the situation has come in overnight. I must confess that the Guardian article that Glyn kindly linked to us the only 'solid' piece of information available at the moment. It would be wrong to speculate in the absence of any solid evidence, Robert.

Apparently the government's crimestoppers initiative has offered an unusually large reward for information leading to arrests etc, $100k, so let's hope this does the trick

Very sad news indeed! I offer my condolence to their friends, family and loved ones. I too am optimistic that the perpetrator will be found and dealt with to the full extent of the law. It is a terrific tragedy that such cruelty and ugliness can coexist with the beauty and magic that is Tobago.

Shocked ... again ... and feel so sorry for the family.

I agree with Steve that we should not speculate without hard evidence but, sadly, there have been several of these attacks and there has been no hard evidence and no one has been found guilty of the crimes ... in the absence of detection and successful prosecution, wouldn't it be understandable for people to speculate in these circumstances?

Just look at the comments from Trinidadians and Tobagonians following the article in the Guardian and see the variety of opinion and who is to blame ... they are equally in the dark over the problem.

Regardless, it is clear that there has been an attack of this type on average, once a year over 7 years; in all cases the targets have been non-domiciled residents (not visitors/tourists) that own property in Tobago, most of the attacks happen in October and November and the type of attack has been very consistent (i.e.; chopped to death) with one exception where a couple actually survived.

I hope that such 'trends' can help the Police in their efforts to find the attacker(s) but I have low confidence of this.

Regards



Regards

Good summary Paul. It does seem that there is some kind of ex disgruntled gardener or similar who was, perhaps, badly treated by a cruel expat employer and who has developed a grudge, perhaps fuelled by the crack pipe. He is probably not particularly large or brave hence he picks on the elderly. The fact that he does not go after tourists renting villas may be down to the fact that there are precious few of them renting unguarded villas these days, or they are younger and not hiring locals?

Who knows, least of all me. But there may be a pattern, or it could be copycat robbers who have realised that there is next to no chance of them ever being brought to justice, and who don't want living witnesses.

It's made the news now on every online Uk news site, Sky, BBC etc - not good for tourism. If only the police and government had listened to our news articles, letters, crime marches etc back in the early noughties, and modernised and trained their police better - this might not have happened. Many of the expats who told me I was crazy for stirring up trouble with anti-buffoon news articles and that I would be drummed off the island (or worse) in revenge, and things "were not dangerous if you had fences and dogs", must now be worried.

Desperately sad news, I have always felt very safe on Tobago and have only very recently returned having rented a villa with my wife . I am always extremely conscious of security wherever I go in the world but if someone is determined enough there is little you can do I suppose. Such an awful tragedy, I hope those responsible are caught and dealt with accordingly.

Hopefully this turns out to be the right people and they can throw the book at them. http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,218853.html

Helena
Thanks for sharing.. I very much hope that they hold the right people in custody...

The Newsday mention these peoples were using the card and PIN-code, but no info if they really did get money. But they did´t say if they had the PIN-number or if they were trying to get money by using the card.
In Europe we are custom with the fact the our card does have PIN-number, but mostly cards from USA doesn´t have that yet.

But it was nice to read that they got these guys, if they had cards than that for sure is a Hard Proof!

I admit that I was sceptical when I first heard that someone had been arrested. My personal opinion of the local police, based upon both hearsay and experience, couldn't be worse. My immediate reaction was that they hauled in the first guys who looked at an officer the wrong way and beat the xxxx out of him for a confession. However, as Ronald says, having the victim's credit cards is not something they will be able to easily explain. So, if they weren't the actual perpetrators, they at least provide a hot trail to whoever was. They know that they will have the book thrown at them, so I imagine they will soon be squealing. For the first time, I am hopeful that the T&T police will be able to resolve a case.

I agree with you Steve, however the word we are hearing (which I tend to still take with a pinch of salt...we all know how rumours work!) is pretty positive.

I have been told by a number of people that blood stained clothing was found in a search and the female arrested has been giving the police information (perhaps looking to turn state witness to give herself an easier ride), so we know there have been searches for the weapons in and around Old Grange and Mt Pleasant. The ATMs have cameras, and cash was withdrawn and later traced....so it would be a challenge surely to explain where you came by the cards and PINs. Fingers remain crossed.

There have been other reports that there may be a link to the attack on the German couple, but that is not confirmed and whilst it would be great news, I am not counting my chickens.