Calder home owner loses EC$25,068.97

A break-in at Calder has left the owner of the home heartbroken, after he suffered a loss of EC$25,068.97.{{more}}

On Saturday, January 8, Phillie Sam returned to his home at approximately 11:45 p.m. to meet the front door of the house wide open. He said, from observation, it was clear that the lock had been tampered with.

Upon closer examination of his home, Sam discovered that US$7,891 and EC$4,000 in cash, which he had hidden in the house, could not be found. No other items were stolen, said Sam.

“I thought where I had secured the money it was quite safe for me, but apparently that was not the case,” the distraught man said to SEARCHLIGHT yesterday morning.

Sam resides in Brooklyn, New York, and works in the airline industry. However, with plans to return to St.Vincent and the Grenadines at the earliest possible time, he journeyed home on December 12, 2010, to renovate his house.

He said he does not want to speculate that someone knew where he had stashed the cash at his home.

“I have people here working, but in light of the fact, I can assure you that none of the employees here would have done such a thing,” said Sam of the three persons carrying out the work at the home.

When asked why did he keep such a large amount of cash in his house, Sam said: “I actually was going to put it into the bank. I went into Kingstown, the line at the bank was very, very long. …I had promised to go into Kingstown today [Monday, January 10] as a matter of fact, to go back to the First Caribbean [International] Bank to make the deposit, but unfortunately the incident occured,” said Sam.

“I am torn apart presently, I can assure you that. It’s the first time this has happened to me here in St.Vincent. I have been coming here every year and I never suffered this loss,” said Sam.

Errol Vaughns, who occupies another home owned by Sam, just a few yards away, said that his home was also broken into last Saturday night. A set of new tools he had received recently from the United States was stolen.

These tools he said, had a value of EC$1,500.

“That is the first time somebody had broken into my home and if I was at home, that would have been story,” said Vaughns, as he expressed disgust.

The police were contacted and the matter is being investigated. (HN)