MARIGOT--The two armed robbery suspects handed over to French authorities on Saturday by Dutch-side police have confessed to their crimes and subsequently have been transferred to Guadeloupe, where they are now being held in detention.

The identities of the wanted suspects had been relayed to Dutch-side authorities by French-side detectives.

Under interrogation by detectives, the two minors ages 14 and 16 confessed to having committed no fewer than seven armed robberies between them, in Concordia, St. James, and Sandy Ground, during the period June 30 to July 21.

The 16-year-old reportedly admitted having committed four armed robberies between June 30 and July 21, including the armed hold-up at Popular Supermarket in Concordia, which took the life of a 32-year-old Chinese cashier.

This same suspect additionally admitted to having driven the runaway car that deliberately knocked down a Gendarme during a traffic control in Cripple Gate on June 15, causing one of the Gendarmes to open fire on the vehicle.

The 14-year-old suspect admitted he had committed three armed robberies against small businesses between July 15 and July 21.

The suspects were escorted Monday by Gendarmes to Guadeloupe, where their cases will be heard by the Judge of the Juvenile Court. The 16-year-old has been placed in provisional detention and the 14-year-old in a secure educational-detention facility.

The Gendarmerie release praised the quality of the cooperation between the Dutch- and French-side Police Forces, and the engagement of eight investigators from the investigation squad Brigade de Recherches, who were able to examine the evidence and files, and extract confessions within the maximum 48-hour custody period (garde è vue).