PHILIPSBURG:--- A young woman identified as Sherlne Laidley was robbed on Thursday by an unknown gunman who probably saw her coming out of the bank where she withdrew $450.00. According to information provided to SMN News the young woman joined a bus to go home but it appeared as though she was being followed because a young man joined the same bus she took and even came off the bus where she came off by Prins Bernard Bridge. Upon walking towards her home on Fort Willem Road the woman was attacked by the unknown man who placed a knife to her throat demanding that she turn over all valuables or else he would cut off her neck. The woman fought back her attacker and managed to take the knife away from her attacker, but the attacker still managed to over-power her and take her purse out of her bag before fleeing from the scene.
Laidly the mother of a one year old fought for her life and can even recognize the attacker, but when she called police no one answered the phone at the police station. When the victim finally got hold of police they told her to wait at her home that they will visit her there. An hour later a patrol drove pass her house at high speed and did not stop to take the woman’s complaint. She then called the station again and was told that the patrol had to attend to an urgent situation in Dutch Quarter and that another patrol would visit her but no police bothered to go take her complaint. On Friday morning the woman whose face had visible injuries went to the police station to file a complaint and there police questioned her as to why she waited one day later to file her complaint. The young woman then explained to the detectives what the dispatcher told her and what had transpired when she call police on Thursday
SMN News contacted Police Spokesman Ricardo Henson about the incident and he confirmed the incident occurred in a short police report but made no mention as to why police did not respond to the woman’s call shortly after she was robbed during high day. Below is the press release sent out on Friday on the incident.
Female robbed at knife point
The Detective Department is presently investigating case of armed robbery which took place on Thursday December 3rd at approximately 11.30 a.m. According to the victim with initials S.A.L. she had just stepped off a bus closed to the Prins Bernard Bridge. While walking on the Fort Willem road close to the water fountain she was suddenly attacked from behind by an unknown man, who put a knife to her throat. She resisted in the attack and knocked the knife from the suspects’ hand. The suspect however managed to overpower the victim by forcing her to the ground. At this point the suspect succeeded in removing her purse from her handbag and taking all of her cash. After committing this act the robber fled the scene.
KPSM Police Report