Channel 5 reporter Isani Cayetano robbed by gunmen

isani cayetano

Our news reporters frequently cover stories about armed robberies, an all too common offence. But on Monday night, News Five’s own Isani Cayetano experienced, firsthand, being held up at gunpoint. Cayetano left the newsroom at our Coney Drive headquarters at about a quarter after seven. He did not get too far and on Princess Margaret Drive in the vicinity of a fast-food restaurant near Pallotti, Cayetano says he bid good night to an elderly woman, the only other person in the area at the time. That is until his attackers pounced on him. Cayetano relived the experience today and says the three robbers were teenagers.

Isani Cayetano, Robbery Victim

“I noticed three young men on bicycles as they rode past me ahead some eighteen to twenty feet. I then overheard one of the young men tell the other “do it if yoh wah do it”. I was a bit alarmed at what I heard because when I turned around, myself and the old lady were the only two people on that stretch of road. And if you notice the particular area between the fast-food restaurant and Pallotti’s main entrance, there’s only one street light there and it’s dimly lit. The young men then doubled back and approached me. One pulled up in front of me on his bicycle, the other pulled up beside me and the third came from behind. The fence was on my right so they effectively boxed me in to the fence. At that point one of the young men then produced a handgun and asked for my bag.”

“They got on their bicycles and they rode off. I immediately tried flogging down a passing vehicle and a good Samaritan stopped and was willing to render some assistance. I followed behind the young men but unfortunately they took off in different directions and we lost pursuit of them. During that process, however, I made a call to 911 and incidentally the dispatcher who responded to the call told me that there was also report of a robbery in that particular area a few minutes prior to the incident that involved me. I would also want to mention that if it was not for quick work on the part of the police department, I would not have been able to recover my belongings. I did not get everything that was in the bag, however I have managed to recover the laptop itself and a young man has been detained pending charges for handling stolen property.”

Police were led to the person in custody through questioning another suspect.