Beverly Wallace-Whitfield
POLICE have launched an island-wide manhunt for two men responsible for binding, gagging and robbing the former wife of one of the Free National Movement’s founding fathers, the late Sir Cecil Wallace-Whitfield.
Beverly Wallace-Whitfield, 89, was terrorised at her home shortly after midnight on Saturday by the men who forced their way inside the house, police said.
They tied her mouth and hands, stealing an assortment of jewellery, cash and a laptop before fleeing the Greenwood Road home, off Village Road on foot, police said.
Just after their escape, a bloodied and shaken Mrs Wallace-Whitfield sought help at a nearby residence, a neighbour who assisted the victim told The Tribune. She was unable to phone the police as the robbers disconnected the telephone wires, this neighbour said.
“I think it was around 12:50am (when she came),” the resident, who requested anonymity, said. “I heard the doorbell ringing and I kind of thought I was dreaming or was that the doorbell ringing.
“She then started banging on my window and then my dogs immediately began barking so that got me up and I looked through the window and I could see her standing there. I asked if she was okay and she said ‘No, no, no, I have been robbed they have taken everything.’
“So I ran to my front door, but another unfortunate thing happened - I had to think about first was she alone (or) were they holding her hostage? So I looked quickly and I could see no one. I then took a chance, opened the door quickly and pulled her in and that was I say at around 10 minutes to 1am,” the neighbour said.
“She had blood…they had tied something around her mouth and she was still holding it because there was blood coming out of her mouth, they had obviously been pulling her mouth. She was shaken up, but she was a strong lady throughout the ordeal.”
When this newspaper canvased the area yesterday, multiple residents said the incident placed a blemish on the otherwise safe and peaceful community.
Another neighbour, who did not want to be identified said: “It is an unfortunate situation and I can’t imagine going through what she went through especially someone her age. She is an amazingly strong woman. She is brave to walk out of that. While she made it out, it still gives you a horrible feeling because we all love this neighbourhood.”
“All the neighbours watch out for everyone so I have always felt safe here, but when things like this happen it throws you for a loop. It saddens me really because we live in such a beautiful country. The neighbourhood is so lovely. We still have children playing in the streets and people that care for each other. So something like that throws you for a curve ball,” another nearby resident said.
Police said while investigations are continuing, members of the public are urged to come forward with any information they might have to assist with this case. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 919, the Central Detective Unit at 502-9991 or Crime Stoppers at 328-TIPS.
By Khrisna Virgil, Tribune Deputy Chief Reporter
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