George Town crime wave

| 17/04/2009

(CNS): Updated – Friday 2:30pmPolice said, today that one man has been arrested in connection with one of the break-ins in the Fairbanks Road area. The RCIPS confirmed it has received seven reports of break-ins or attempted break-ins at residential properties in that neighbourhood over the last week. “The police take this situation extremely seriously and are following up a number of leads including looking at a number of suspects,” police stated. 

Police are also concerned that other offences are not being reported to police and it is important that police receive details of all offences that take place so that patterns can be identified and evidence can be collected. Anyone who is a victim is urged to contact the police.

While police have acknowledged that there has been an increase in burglaries in George Town in general, Fairbanks is experiencing a crime wave of its own. Residents told CNS that four apartments at Stone Haven, a three building strata between Ithmar Circle and Secret Garden, had been broken into and all the units have reportedly had attempted break-ins, while across the street another two burglaries have occurred with six attempted break-ins during the last few weeks.

The most recent burglary occurred while a family, including two small children and a cross-Shepherd dog, were sleeping, which has caused considerably fear among the residents. “If they are so brazen to try with the dog in the house they must be desperate or have no fear, and either one is not good,” said the victim, who had lost phones, wallets and cash. “Even the police that came to my house ran back to their car when they saw my dog. I have two small kids and they could have been hurt if they had woken up as they usually do during the night.”

Reports have been made by all the residents who have been robbed to the police and one resident told CNS that CID and scenes of crime officers had taken statements. However, residents had been concerned that the crime wave had not been reported in the media and were keen to warn people of the level of burglaries taking place and the need for people to protect themselves. “The more people that know about this the better and we can all be even more vigilant and watch out for watch other,” the resident stated.

Residents also noted that some of the break-ins had occurred during daylight hours and a scooter was also taken two weekends ago but recovered, vandalized. 

Police said that the common method of entry appears to be via the rear of premises and theya re advising all residents to remian vigilant and ensure their windows and doors are locked securely and consideration should be given to inserting a piece of wood or something similar into the gap on sliding doors to prevent them being opened if the lock is breached.

Residents should also look out for suspicious activity and report anything out of the ordinary to the police, making note of people’s descriptions and license plate numbers of vehicles. Cell phone identification numbers, serial numbers of electrical goods and photographs of valuable items should be taken to help with reuniting recovered goods with their rightful owners. Cell phone codes can be obtained by typing in * # 06#. This will give you a unique code to the individual handset. The code can also be found on the original packaging / boxing usually adjacent to the bar code.

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  1. cross lady says:

    The kids that committed crime against my property were Caymanian, with Caymanian parents … who refuse to pay for the losses and damage incurred by their offspring.    Please, don’t fall into a trap of blaming Jamaicans or any other nation, especially when you don’t know the facts … and if you are a Christian, you will know that this is an un-Christian way of behaving.   Jesus was anti-prejudice, as we learn from his Good Samaritan story.  Samaritans were looked down on; but Jesus bigged them up.  Having a scapegoat blinds us to the truth, and disables us from finding a true cause and remedy and prevention to problems. 

  2. bobo says:

    Listen to Rooster this morning and heard a chilling account of a citizen who reported certain details about prisoners Criminal activity by Sabrina murder Scene. it was shameful once again to Hear the In action by the "Royal Cayman Islands police Farce" especialy the Drugs task farce They said the prisoner directors need to go but the no use officers in the Police service also need to go. What will be the Excuse this time Cayman How long is this going to go on I guest till the kill us in our homes. This is shameful

  3. Anonymous says:

    The police is not making much effort to resolve this crime. I know people who have been affected by the string of burglaries, and the way matters were handled is an absolutel disgrace. When somebody reports a burglary, police shouldn’t come flying down the road with sirens on, giving the burglars "notice" of their arrival! Perhaps sneaking up would provide a better chance of catching them. Crime scenes are not investigated until the next day! I guess if rain falls and evidence is being washed away, so what! Also, this area has been long knows to be terrorized by burglars so why is the police not monitoring it more closely? I know there are a lot of good police officers but there is no communication amongst the various departments, and no motivation for the police officers to resolve anything because a lot of times the offenders are just being let out on bail……….and if they go to Northward, apparently they are left roaming on a 200 acre ranch in East End. What a punishment!

  4. Anonymous says:

     

    I would like to add to my comment earlier on 04/17/2009 at 21.34 that some of the criminals prints are not in the system because they are 12 and 13 year olds. They break into peoples homes or place of business steal valuable things and sell them very cheap.

    When parents see their children with things that they did not purchase for them ask them where they got them. If it takes the parents giving them a good flogging until they talk so be it. If at 12 and 13 they are doings these crimes what will they turn out to be.

     

     

  5. Anonymous says:

    If burglars were breaking into homes and businesses because they were unemployed and hungry, then they would be stealing food, not stuff to sell to possibly buy drugs.  Stop being so quick to blame the government for the misbehavour of a few delinquents in our population, there has always been burglaries no matter which government is in power, what we really need to do is appeal to family members to stop turning a blind eye when they know that their family members, who are not even employed, always seem to have the most expensive jewelry or latest in electronic gadgetry – come on people – stop blaming politicians and help your community by reporting who the criminals are in your neighborhoods.  Stop turning a blind eye, the police cannot always solve crime without the help of witnesses, if you dont want to report it directly to the police then call crime stoppers. If someone goes to an establishment or home equipped to steal in all likelihood no prints will be left and sometimes if prints are left it might be from someone who is not in the system yet, so the police cannot always be blamed for not being able to solve burglaries unless they receive direct intelligence from the public.

  6. Anonymous says:

     

    Crimes are happening in other disticts not just George Town. I know of a case where the victims were the ones to find the person / persons that burglarized their premises.

    Shame, shame on the RCIP they have to stop making the victims solve their cases and they (RCIP) wanting to take the CREDIT. The RCIP need to wake up and shake off the cobwebs because they have been asleep for far tooooooooooooooo longgggggggggggggggg

     

  7. Anonymous says:

    There is no serious desire to deal with crime in this country.

    Yes I said it and I stand by the statement.

    50-80,000 people here and you cannot tell me if sorting out the criminals was a sincere effort that the bulk of them would be deported or in Northward.

    • Anonymous says:

      PPM is pro-crime!

      PPM is the only Government in the history of the Cayman Islands that publicly called for an investigation into corruption to be stopped. Think about that.

      PPM is the only Government in the history of the Cayman islands to have a sitting Minister of its Cabinet found to have acted improperly before a Commission of Enquiry.

      • Anonymous says:

        Who gives a s….t. These are serious times and the crime is not political. It makes no difference which government is in power or not. Further more the crime we are talking about is not political corruption but serious crimes being committed in the community to private citizens. Wake up Cayman before we become another Jamaica.

        • Anonymous says:

          We won’t become another Jamaica – we will become Jamaica! Thanks Mac – should have thought the numbers through!

  8. Disappointed, but hopeful says:

    How is it that we can say the burglaries are the result of one politician or a group of politicians?  It’s a lack of ‘brought-upsy’, poor ethics, and perhaps a result of that person’s drug habit or generally one of an ‘opportunitist’ mentality.  We all need to stop playing a political blame game now.

    The police and our country’s legal teams need to be more vigilant.  They need to capture and incarcarate burglars, theives, stealers, criminals, whatever you want to call them.  It’s the most disgusting behaviour to take from someone what doesn’t belong to you.  It goes higher than that too but we must stop this from getting any worse.  It’s a basic behaviour that is just wrong and there are absolutely NO no excuses for it.   If someone’s struggling financially and steals to get ‘food on the table’ — who’s to say the person they stole from didn’t have to work their backside off to get what THEY BOUGHT THEMSELVES.  Who gives the criminal the right to take what’s someone else’s?  There are unfortunately some VERY ignorant people here who share this country with us — Caymanians and non-Caymanians alike.

    The police need to improve their detective and prosecution skills.  We need to find these criminals, and get them off our street before this becomes a known, accepted, frequent occurance. 

    We’re only a country of 50-60,000 people.  Speak up, turn people in if you know they’re doing wrong.  Take responsibility don’t just sit on your laurels and cast blame on others.  It’s wrong, you know it’s wrong, so don’t let the criminals big or small ruin our country.  For too long we’re letting people who are known to steal, commit crime get away with it.  Enough already!!!!!!!!!

  9. Twyla M Vargas says:

    EVERYONE FOR HIMSELF and GOD FOR US ALL.

    It is time that everyone look out for themselves because it is impossible to be protected by the police.  In fact the police cannot be everywhere, but the Top Ministeries who are responsible for the police department should  certainly spend more money on combating crime.   Listen up Cayman, if you been living here for the past 5ive plus years ask yourself, what has all the money being spent on???   I do not have to tell you, you all know.    What is it being spent on now?    Bill Boards of Campaign Political Strageties.     Thousands of dollars,  Is everyone blind?    Why dont some of this money be spent on combating crime  on the Island, even it was to buy an extra police Car.  They are fooling you again, and next year it maybe your child that accidently gets involved..  There must be someone in the Police Force who can come up with a stragetic Plan to cut the crime wave and sniff out these persons who are causing terror in the Island.   

    Get undercover police from abroad, and let them work areas doing what they do best at those hours when residents are sleeping.  Getting them to be involved in areas and with residents, selling, buying, planting trees, building,  sweeping the side walks, Bartendering, construction, beach bums, taxi drivers,  or just walking the street like a mad person.  Who knows more than an idiot, but we never stop to listen.    For Pet,s  sake, Do I have to tell you all what to do. Dont you watch the Movies,  Have,nt you seen "Bashment Granny 2" havent you visited places and know how it is done.   One day, one fool will assault, rob or kill the wrong person then another fool will turn vigilente.    Cant you see that everyone is only concerned with keeping that big fat salary paid by the Legislative each month, they dont care one eyeball about you the people.   Nuff said !!!!   Granny told me, "Well if you wont hear ye will feel"  Blessed

  10. Anonymous says:

    The media has neglected to report the frequency of burglaries and the police show little interest or aptitude in solving these cases. I would be interested to see CNS publish burglary statistics for the first quarter of 2009 of reported burglaries or start a blog where people report burglaries. I see very little accountability from the police on this matter.

    • know dis says:

      a senior and very skilled forensic officer (yes, yes an expat, blah blah) was recently not renewed due to ‘contractural misunderstandings’ with DCOP Ennis. That person said she was not renewing because of the mess the RCIPS is in, but was begged to stay by Ennis because of her extreme skills, and turned down a job in counter terrorism because she was offered a new contract. she was told she were going to be renewed, and the THE DAY BEFORE SHE WAS DUE TO SIGN, she was told the contract had been withdrawn, because the inspector on the forensic unit wouldn’t work with her. (that old chestnut of ‘senior’ officers here not being able to deal with skilled ‘subordinates). Cayman, make your police accountable for their inner politics, before you expect any sort of service out of them. There are some noticeable exceptions(local and expat), but they are fighting against the same thing.

      So many skilled officers have been dumped (traffic officers, forensic officers, community officers, firearms officers, dog officers, marine officers, drugs officers) , and now you are paying the price for a second rate police service. The reason expat officers are SOMETIMES better is because they have the skills and experience needed to overcome the ‘cayman effect’ (he my cousin, let him go) and have been exposed to a bigger world than just Cayman, and come with years of experience. Recruiting lots of new caymanian officers would be wonderful, but it will be two years before they are really effective, by which time they may have become ‘institutionalised’. If you want to see a racist and xenophobic police force, look nofurther than 22 miles that way or 8 miles this way.

      This is an amazing country, and the people (old school caymanians) are amazing too, but some, in government, are spoiling it all over.

  11. Anonymous says:

    Crime = PPM Progress

    Perhaps this – along with the 1,000 unemployed Caymanians etcetera – is a part of the so far undefined "PPM Progress".

    • Anonymous says:

      I wonder how many unemployed Caymanians are MacManians – or how many MacManians are in positions Caymanians (including deserving status recipients) and permanent residents are occupying. PPM are certainly not to blame for that.

  12. Anonymous says:

    When a few burgulars lose their arms, lose their lives for taking that risk …then we may see a decline. Correction…we will see an immediate decline. Many of these prerps are cowards. They are not doing this to abate hunger.

    The law regarding apprehension of a violator/burglar/home invader of your home currently security tilts to protecting the violator. If in the process of confrontation, the burgular is hurt the victim then is potentially liable.

    Unfortunately we have to modify our penchant for easy going Cayman living (leaving the windows open as it’s getting hot already). We can reverse this assualt on the community culture.

    Our Police need a specific home invasion unit. This unit will need to track prison releases, draft on drug task force intel, stoke up crime stoppers reward for info on gang activities.  This will not happen soon as the RCIPS are significantly distracted.

    It would seem that an innovative approach is required.

    We must…

    • Anonymous says:

      I say put the perpetrators in George Town on a Friday afternoon Happy Hour and give them a good whipping. Bring back corporal punishment and you will certainly see a decline in burglary etc. Most of these criminals a just cowards and a good public whipping with them bawling will shame them enough to stop the trouble.