Frank Félix Durán, the spokesman for the National Police, said in a press conference on 3 April 2019 that one Haitian had died (identified as Pepo) and four and one Dominican were arrested in a recent shootout with the Police. Arrested were Haitians Michel Silvio (Lolo),
The Police acted after on Sunday, 31 March 2019, the group entered a dwelling in Arroyo Hondo where they gagged a woman and her three children and stole RD$18,000, a laptop, two mobile phones, a video game, jewelry and other belongings. The home had surveillance cameras, enabling the capturing of the faces of several of the assailants this time. In other instances, the victims said their assailants had worn masks.
The Police said at the time of their arrest they seized seven watches, nine rings, jewelry, two guns, two vehicles, two motorcycles, and other items from the assailants.
The Police said that in the case of Vodre Celicourt and Michel Silvio, they had on them two identification cards to pass as Haitian security agents. The Police is investigating if these are fake.
The Police said that the gang would carry out its robberies and then retreat to Haiti to chill out. The Police said they had been on the trail of the robbers for a year but the delays were for lack of cooperation of the Haitian police authorities to identify and capture the thieves.
Luis Manuel de los Santos Valdez (Yampol) is the only Dominican of the group, but was described as a son of Haitians.
Read more in Spanish:
Hoy
El Caribe
El Dia
4 April 2019