BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - A young woman from Fort Thomas Road in McKnight was yesterday (Oct. 24) arrested on suspicion of building-breaking and larceny and is assisting police with their investigations into the matter.
Information reaching this media house indicates that shortly before mid-day yesterday, a neighbour approached Denise DeFreitas-Barrett at her Conaree Village home and asked her if she wanted a “generator to buy”.
She answered in the affirmative and asked to see the generator. However, when taken to a vehicle in which the generator was rested, she immediately recognised it as the one that was stolen from her almost a month ago.
“My neighbour, who is also an entrepreneur, came to my home with a young lady in a vehicle this morning and asked if I wanted a generator to buy. I told him yes and enquired where and when I could see it. He told me that it was on the rear seat of the young woman’s vehicle. However, on seeing the generator, my blood ran cold as I recognised it to be the one that was stolen from my business premises in September, DeFreitas-Barrett said.
DeFreitas-Barrett claimed she learnt from her neighbour that the young woman was the owner of a small business and had a number of items for sale. These items, she explained, included two generators.
“My neighbour told me that the young woman said she was selling both generators…a big one and a small one. Knowing that I am in need of a small generator, he brought the woman over to my home to find out if I would purchase it.
“I asked the young woman if the generator was in working condition and she said it was filled with gas and oil. However, it could not have started because a very important component was missing. That component was and still is in my possession,” she explained.
DeFreitas-Barrett said she went back into her home, not to attach the component to the generator “but to use the opportunity to inform the police of my suspicion”.
On arrival at the scene, SKNVibes saw a number of officers from the Criminal Investigation Department, who arrested the young woman and took her to the Basseterre Police Station along with the generator.
On the morning of September 23, 2010, thieves broke into DeFreitas-Barrett’s business premises and stole a Honda generator and a large quantity of Fruta juices and soda totalling some EC$5 000.
The small business, known as the White Castle Snackette, is situated in the vicinity of the junction of the West Basseterre By-pass Road within proximity of the RLB International Airport.
