A police anti-crime initiative on St. Croix dubbed Operation Retrieve led Wednesday to the arrest of four persons and the confiscation of four guns, according to Police Commissioner Franz Christian.
Early Wednesday, Christian said, police detectives entered a unit of the Aureo Diaz Heights Housing Community and confiscated three weapons — a sawed-off assault rifle with a high-capacity magazine, a 9mm semi-automatic pistol and a .25-caliber pistol. Elsewhere, police seized a .32-caliber revolver.
Detectives also confiscated two pairs of handcuffs and a center punch, a device used to break vehicle windows soundlessly.
At the apartment building, police took Larry Charles, 19, into custody on charges of possession of unlicensed firearms. He was being held at the Anna's Hope Detention Center in lieu of $25,000 bail.
Also apprehended were Dale Henry, 33, of Castle Burke, on grand larceny charges; Eric Medina Diaz, 40, of Estate Profit, charged with third-degree burglary; and Rasheed Mohamed, 24, of Carlton Condos, charged with reckless endangerment.
According to Deputy Police Chief Novelle Francis, "Several stolen household appliances, drug paraphernalia, hypodermic needles and heroin decks were recovered during the operation."