POLICE yesterday arrested two women who, after winning the trust of a motorist, tried to rob him at gunpoint in his car.

The unusual robbery attempt also resulted in the arrest of another woman and a man who Superintendent Fitz Bailey believes are members of a criminal network.

According to the police, the drama started unfolding at about 1:15 pm when the man went to a business place in Half-Way-Tree to purchase items and was approached by one of the women.

The two started talking and, after a few minutes, the woman asked the man for $500 to purchase patties. He complied and offered to drive her to the Tastee store in Half-Way-Tree square.

The man waited in his car while the woman went to buy the patties. She eventually returned with another woman, whom she introduced as a relative, and both got into the car.

That was when the motorist got the shock of his life.

The second woman, Bailey said, pulled a .45 pistol and ordered the man to drive towards Cross Roads. As they approached that busy hub, they ordered him to turn onto Trevennion Park Road, which is a cul-de-sac.

When they got to the dead end and the car stopped, the women then made an attempt to rob the man. However, he flipped the script on them by attacking the one with the gun.

In the ensuing struggle, a single shot was discharged from the weapon, causing the first woman who approached the man to flee.

The motorist managed to disarm the remaining thief and called the police who took the gun, which was loaded with seven live rounds.

The police then took the woman robber back to Half-Way-Tree and instructed her to call her crony, then lay in wait for her.

The woman eventually turned up with another woman and man and all were arrested by the police.

After making the arrests, the police appealed to the public to be alert.

“I am not going to say it is a trend, but we have seen and heard of a few instances where this has happened,” one police officer said.

Last month, police in St Thomas said two women and a 16-year-old boy were held in the parish following the shooting death of a taxi operator.

In St Mary, the police are investigating an incident in which a teacher was attacked and shot twice by two women.