Prime suspect kills gang members, leads cops to shallow graves

Nov 27, 2010 News

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… Health Ministry fire

Health Ministry arson suspect, Colin Jones, yesterday, led a team of policemen to two decomposed bodies buried in shallow graves several miles up the Kara Kara Creek.
He also identified the bodies as belonging to two accomplices that he had killed.
One of the victims is believed to be 32-year-old Kurt Thierens, called ‘Bage’ or ‘Glasses’, who was fingered in the July 2009 destruction of the historic Health Ministry buildings.
Thierens, along with Jones, escaped from the Providence Police Station shortly after their arrests.
Thierens’s addresses was given as 102 Middle Walk, Buxton, East Coast Demerara; Lot 7 National Avenue, Triumph, East Coast Demerara and 219 Residential Area, Yarrowkabra, Soesdyke/Linden Highway.

One of the bodies was believed to be his. According to a police insider, Jones told them that he shot and killed Thierens on Wednesday (November 24, last).
Thierens taught at Presidents’ College.
The other victim, described as a man of mixed ancestry, is suspected to be Keith Ferrier, called ‘General’, who, along with Thierens and Jones, were wanted for the November 2009 arson attempts at the Georgetown High Court and the Richard Ishmael Secondary school.
They were also wanted for questioning about the murder of gold miner Wodette Roberts called ‘Buckman’, whose body was found on the Soesdyke/Linden highway some hours after he was abducted.
Ferrier was reportedly killed on November 12.
The police arrested Jones yesterday after the man lobbed a grenade at a two-man patrol, forcing them to call for back up. That grenade proved to be a dud.
Soon after, the police found a cache of arms that included several magazines and ammunition, military paraphernalia and an assault rifle.
Yesterday, Jones took detectives to the location where he said he buried the bodies of his accomplices. He also took them to a camp his gang occupied.
At the scene, police recovered two AK 47 assault rifles without magazines, a quantity of 7.62 x 39 rounds, a grenade, two bullet-proof vests, and a several flares from a tarpaulin-covered camp.
A ten-foot boat with a five horsepower Yamaha outboard motor engine was also found in a swampy area adjoining the creek.
In addition, the lawmen destroyed two marijuana fields with about 1,800 plants ranging between two and six feet in height.
According to sources close to the investigation, Jones alleged that he decided to turn himself in because he was “fed up with hiding” and that “they (his accomplices) want me to go on robbery and kill people.”
But reports out of Linden were that the group did not need to commit robberies. The members were making their money from a large poultry farm they set up, and from the large marijuana cultivation that they had.
Jones reportedly also told investigators that he had killed two of his accomplices because they had “snitched” on him.
Jones gave ranks the dates on which he reportedly killed Theirens and Ferreira. He himself also sustained a gunshot wound, believed to have been inflicted when he turned his gun on Thierens.
There are reports that police had started to close in on the wanted men several weeks ago when a woman connected to Theirens was caught with a quantity of marijuana.
The woman has since been charged and is currently in prison.
They were in a house when the police raided. The men escaped by jumping through windows, leaving the woman behind.
Jones reportedly claimed that one of the gang had snitched, causing the police to effect the raid.
According to the police, he suspected that Thierens was the snitch and this must have eventually led to the confrontation between the men that left Thierens dead.
Jones was captured early yesterday morning when police spotted the shirtless man walking in the Linden community, several hours after he had hurled a grenade at some ranks the day before.
The fugitive had a shotgun wound to the shoulder.
According to the police report, around 16:00 hours on Thursday, police responded to information that a man was seen in the Amelia’s Ward, Linden, area acting suspiciously.

Police who responded to the report failed to locate the man but received further information which led to the discovery of an AK- 47 rifle, seven magazines, 198 rounds of 7.62 x 39 ammunition, two pairs of handcuff, one camouflage bullet-proof vest, a green long-sleeved overcoat, a green camouflage haversack and a bible.
The police subsequently spotted Jones, clad only in underwear, walking along the Amelia’s Ward Public Road with what appeared to be a grenade in his hand.
As the ranks approached the suspect he threw the grenade at the police. Fortunately, the grenade failed to explode, and the man ran into the nearby bushes while the ranks were taking evasive action.
The ranks pursued the suspect and there was an exchange of gunfire before the man again eluded the lawmen.
However early yesterday morning the police came upon the same man, who calmly surrendered.
Kaieteur News understands that police have also detained two women from Linden who are suspected of assisting the captured man and his gang.
Commander of ‘E’ and ‘F’ Division, Assistant Commissioner David Ramnarine yesterday lauded the ranks that were involved in the operation.
“I want to commend the ranks from Police Headquarters and Linden, who strenuously pursued this information, which has led to this massive discovery.
“Unfortunately, it has come with tragic consequences, in terms of the bodies that were found.
“I know that the Commissioner of Police and other senior officers who have been in the picture, step by step, will, at some convenient time, let the ranks know of the good works they have done.
“It was in a lot of instances, difficult terrain and difficult circumstances, and as Commander of this division, I could not let the opportunity pass without first expressing my support for them.
“At this point, we are receiving further support from CID Headquarters, and we are pursuing this matter at a rapid pace, to bring it to a complete and satisfactory closure.”
In was on July 17, 2009, that a gang hurled channa bombs into the Ministry of Health’s main building and an annex at Brickdam, destroying the historic site.
Clayton Westford, 19, an office assistant of 7 West La Penitence and 21-year-old Tedena Bagot, a pork-knocker of 32 Second Street, Alexander Village were subsequently charged.
Thierens and Jones were also detained but escaped.
Former Chief Magistrate Juliet Holder Allen, Heston Bostwick and Archie Poole were all taken into police custody shortly after the fire, but were subsequently released.
Police allege that the same gang attempted to torch the Supreme Court Registry and the Richard Ishmael Secondary School in early November 2009, while discharging several rounds at the Brickdam Police Station and the East Ruimveldt Police Outpost.
Police allege that Theriens and Jones were identified among the attackers, who also abducted and killed gold miner Wodette Roberts.
Police subsequently issued wanted bulletins for Charles Clarke called ‘Pumpkin’ or ‘Perkin’; Colin Jones,  Kurt Thierens, Shawn Benn and Keith Ferrier.
Police Commissioner Henry Greene had said that the gang had overseas assistance and issued a wanted bulletin for George Lashley, a former GDF lieutenant who currently lives overseas.
Lashley who is said to be around 60, also resided at Lot 187 Freeman Street, North East La Penitence.

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