Christopher Serju Photos

Agriculture ministry officials were left embarrassed and at least three motor vehicle owners in dismay on Wednesday after thieves broke into at least three cars and made off with a laptop, handbag, cellular phone and other valuables at the Farmers Training Centre at Twickenham Town, Spanish Town, Catherine.

Guests were preparing to leave after attending a validation workshop after hearing presentations on a development plan and blueprint for an action plan for aquaculture, when the owner of a Daihatsu Boon realised that someone had broken the pivot window, put a hand through to open the door and made off with a laptop, her handbag and cellular phone among other valuables.

robbery spree

As other guests reacted to the robbery, noting that a food processing plant on the property was still in operation, with a number of people moving around, consternation turned to shock when they realised that the thief or thieves had gone on a robbery spree.

The same method was used to break into a Mitsubishi Galant and Volkswagon Amarok, as people scrambled around to check if they had been affected. Agriculture Minister Roger Clarke, chief technical director in the ministry, Marc Panton, and Andre Kong, director of fisheries, were among the guests taking part in a sampling of pond-raised Tilapia fish in the yard, when it is believed that the robberies took place.

The owner of the Boon had only minutes before put the laptop into her car - less than a minute's walk - and walked the short distance to say her goodbyes. Upon returning, the robbery was discovered. Guests were left marvelling at the audacity of the criminals to break into the vehicles in broad daylight in full of the outdoor function, with the vehicles also visible from the nearby processing plant, as well as from the road.

The lack of the security for the function was also another puzzler for those in attendance.