CHAGUANAS police were continuing their search for the third suspect who robbed two Marketing and Distribution salesmen of thousands of dollars worth of cigarettes and shot a security guard in the face on Monday morning.

Up to yesterday evening, two of the suspects who were arrested minutes after the robbery were being questioned by detectives at Chaguanas Police Station.

Police said they have received useful information, which they believed would soon lead to the arrest of the third suspect.

Around 8.30 a.m. on Monday, the bandits held up the two salesmen and security guard, who were conducting sales at a business place in Enterprise, before shooting the guard and relieving him of his loaded firearm and escaping in the company vehicle, which was filled with cigarettes.

The security guard has been identified as Sean Sydney, of Moruga. He had been employed with Security Escort and Services Ltd in Couva for the past 24 years, said officials at the company.

He was shot near the right ear, with the bullet exiting through his face close to his nose, police said.

Shortly after the incident, Central Division officers, led by Snr Supt Deodath Dulalchan and Supt Johnny Abraham, saw the men off-loading the stolen cigarettes outside an abandoned house at Nannan Trace in Longdenville.

Two of them attempted to escape by running into some bushes, but were later captured; while the third suspect sped off in the stolen vehicle, which was recovered a short distance away.

The handgun stolen from the officer was not recovered, police said.

Sydney's relatives said yesterday he was still warded at Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, in Mt Hope, in a stable condition.

They refused to speak more on the issue, directing any further questions to management at the security company.

Meanwhile, Western Division officers are also continuing their search for the man who broke into the home of Congress of the People member Rocky Garcia in Glencoe last week and robbed his family.

The man entered Garcia's home through a window last week Tuesday before tying up his wife and 14-year-old daughter and robbing them of cash, cellphones, jewelry and other items, before escaping.

Investigators said the suspect had escaped from prison several weeks ago and has, so far, been eluding capture.

Officers said they have intensified their search for the suspect, who they have deemed to be armed and dangerous.