Restaurant robber arrested

| 23/07/2010

(CNS): Updated 8am Friday — Police have now arrested a 21-year-old man following a suspected armedrobbery at the Portofino restaurant in East End at 8:52 Thursday evening (22 July). Police said a single male armed with what appeared to be a handgun, threatened staff before making off with an undisclosed amount of cash. No one was injured during the incident. An operation was then launched to capture the man who was said to be wearing a red jumpsuit. He was arrested around two hours later but police say he was not in possession of a gun. The restaurant is a popular tourist spot in the Gun Bay area overlooking the Wreck of the Ten Sails.

The man remains in custody and police are asking for anyone who may have witnessed the incident to contact DS Joseph Wright on 947 2220 or Crimestoppers on 800-8477 (TIPS)

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  1. mousey says:

    In response to anon 1803 i agree with you 100% but we had a vibrant and viable an effective police service prior to all these changes which by the way were ushered into place by some of our own with the help their "Old boys&now Girls club" and political backers because they want more corrupting influence over our law enforcement agencies. Sadly the much anticipated correction and halt of this disintegration and degradation of the police service into our current serious situation, started with the two previous Commissioners, one who was totally out his league in the job and resorted to Nepotism cronies and political brinkmanship to manage the RCIPS and the next one continue where he left off until he realized that the local leadership were totally inept and were merely appointed by either the old boys club membership or henchman of the three above negatives. When he tried to make the necessary changes ,he found out just how long and deep the tentacles of corruption wentand reached into government and local society. Mr Baines today is still suffering from the previous problems, his problem is even more severe because during this period the countering element to this menace in the RCIPS were push out and remove becausethey pose a threat to this little group. who by the way keep telling him they are on top of things in which the public know the truth about that.  Mr Baines is making the unpopular positive changes very slowly a bit too slow because the crime situation is rapidly increasing. The past wrongs cannot be undone for many like Shaun Ebanks and Derek Haines and many other good people who have left the RCIPS but he should seek their advice and not shun them because they have dissenting opinions as the problem is clear what they have said has unfortunately come to past. As for the top cop jokers he has advising him from the strategic heights seeking further promotion to the upper level of their in competence a dunce cap and a letter of apology to every victim of serious crime in Cayman they should have to write in proper English that should take them about 1 years to do. Yes this will keep them busy from spreading vicious rumors and innuendo about the white man taking over "Same old mind game Partner"

  2. big bout ya says:

     No worries folks they will form another Council now National anticrime council NAC the Nothing at all Cayman. Look at where we are at Cayman our rights gone and now accepting privileges now they come to take those from us too. Who is really in charge of this place. Someone needs to be held accountable and responsible for this dire situation because they are being paid really well’ and its pretty obvious they ain’t earning their pay.

  3. ELVIS says:

    I in fact did not commit this crime! and "You ain’t nothing but a Hound Dog" sir

  4. Anonymous says:

    It’s quite easy to blame this one or that one for the increase in crime, however the RCIPS is under the control of His Excellency. The elected members can make recommendations but cannot make policy concerning the Force.

    On another note, I have heard alot these days about the way in which the force is divided, ie UK officers vs the rest. It seems that the UK officers are being treated superior to the others, ie unwarranted promotions, given contracts that exempt them from working the night shift, etc!!!! This is not the UK and this kind of foolishness, white against coloured, UK officers against the rest of the nationalities in the force, cannot and must not be tolerated in the Cayman Islands if crime is to be brought under control!!!

    The criminals have ears like everyone else and know all about the division in the Force and is taking full advantage of that fact.

    A concerned Caymanian.

     

    • Anonymous says:

      That’s funny because I know British cops who have had almost all their weekends off cancelled for ‘operational reasons,’ and another had his annual leave cancelled for the same reasons. The British cops get treated terribly by management just like all the other nationalities, at least the RCIP cannot be accused of inequality. Once you join the RCIP, whether from the UK, or another Caribbean island, they have you, as you have invested so much in coming to Cayman, you can’t just leave, and so they can treat you with contempt, as there is nothing you can do about it. There is no union serving the RCIP like most other countries, no one looking after the troops, and why would the management want to create a union, as it would mean they could no longer cancel everyone’s rest days and leave, as a result of the latest knee jerk reaction, like they do at the moment? And if you don’t put up with it all like a good boy / girl, and object, if for some reason you were considering renewing your contract, management won’t renew it. Somehow despite all the criticisms of RCIP officers on this board, I don’t think most people realize how poor the working conditions are that they have to work under, which is not exactly conducive to a productive smoothly operating police force. It also just contributes to the ‘revolving door’ scenario that the department has, where people with skills, experience, and local knowledge, are all leaving, why do you think they recently had to have an overseas recruitment drive, trying to recruit officers for a number of different departments? Things must be bad.

      • Judean People's Front says:

        ok ………..

        so apart from traveling over 4000 miles to serve a community that they dont belong to, leave a protected and unionised work force, provide specialist skills, integrity, ethics, common sense, fairness and equality, legality, responsibility, diversity, Police without influence or family ties, impartiality and not be unduly beholden to anyone, law and order, the aquaduct, the wine ………………

        what have the UK officers done for us?

    • Judean People's Front says:

      Exactly! What have the UK officer’s ever done for us?

       

    • CC rider says:

        Yes and just who is to blame for that our own high officials with their strategic overviews and terrible failures along with their own "Old Bye Network" Nepotism and incestuous corruption not to mention incompetent and lazy. I agree these things are overlook when you demonstrate loyalty to the governing powers especially when you do their bidding. We have fail to support and abandoned our good people both foreign and domestic.  We have in turned replaced them with persons who have serious hidden and destructive agendas. We have been warned numerous times by some on these very people to no avail. The political arm will only get involved, when it is detrimental to their political and economic or financial interest. Never once in the interest of the island’s citizens who elected them This place is truly pitiful ain’t it.. 

    • Anonymous says:

      actually, I believe it IS the UK 

  5. Anonymous says:

    Attention Bandits: 

    Please continue to identity yourselves with red jumpsuits. 

    Sincerely,

    The RCIP 

  6. Anonymous says:

    These people need to be exposed more to the public. Is he my neighbour or country of orign. Hope we will get a photo asap.

  7. Anonymous says:

    It is just so sad that these robberies are becoming a trend.  It has nothing to do with the economy, but a lot to do with criminality.  If someone is in need of food and water, all they simply has to do is ASK.  Charity begins in the home, these young people should had been taught the basics of life, from the home and later in school.  The questions I beg to ask is, What changed the mentality of the young people about asking? and why did the parents created a lyfestyle for their children to "TAKE" what they want? and not to buy or ask for their needs?  The crimes are escalating out of control and I hate to stress this fact, citizens are going to take the law into their own hands and protect their businesses and homes.  Not a Lawfully permissable thing, but something needs to give in our Islands.

  8. Me says:

    A red jumpsuit?

    Was he a prison escapee?

  9. Anonymous says:

    Well, it’s only too bad that the restaurant owners and patrons were not all armed to to the teeth. Then everyone could have opened fire on this criminal and justice would have been done. So what if a few kids and bystanders get hit. People have the right to protect themselves and it’s obvious that the police can’t do it. I’m sure that it’s got nothing to do with the fact that people are getting more and more desperate because the policies of the government are causing businesses to leave the island, unemployment is increasing, prices are through the roof and those in the lowest economic brackets are being hit the hardest. Why march down to the L.A. and demand that things change when we can just get a gun and solve this thing right now. Oh, and I’m sure that tourism will increase once people are re-assured that Caymans are all armed and ready to deal with the criminal element on their own. After all, it’s going to be a much safer place for a relaxing holiday.

  10. Anonymous says:

    well done officers.   nobody on this site in making any mention about your quick thinking to arrest this criminal i say congradulations and keep the good works up. if you had made this thief get away it would have been unbelievable the comments that would have been on here.   now body sames to like good news. comment on, but they are quick kill you all for the bad news. once again well done officers

  11. Anonymous says:

    Good job RCIP!!

    Looks like you’re turning the corner…

  12. Anonymous says:

    Good Job RCIPS! Keep up the good work.

  13. Anonymous says:

    Even after the recent incident in George Town the criminal element in this country are still bold, brazen and busy. As a country we all have to consider where we are going and seek answers to get us back on the right track. It is pretty obvious that our so called leaders do not have the answers.

    • Anonymous says:

      I trust the RCIPS will gently and humanely twist his nuts to reveal where the gun is

    • Anonymous says:

      Any suggestions? I have no immediate fixes myself, but I believe the following needs to be done to get our community back:

      1) Schooling must be top notch. Building size is irrelevant. Quality teachers is everything. Parents must work with these teachers, not against them.

      2) Because we have a lost generation, from a failed schooling system, we need adult education and trade schools. 

      3) We must lose our Cayman entitlement attitude. Anyone with a shred of common sense can see this attitude has created more harm than good. Certainly, in today’s global environment, it makes us seem backwards. Whether we want to admit it or not, the truth is, this attitudealso leads to much corruption. The reality of the WORLD is that there are no "free rides". Indeed, everyone pays the price at some point, even us.

      4) We need a bigger prison and stiffer rules for those who don’t care to  take advantage of or understand 1, 2, 3. 

      5) We need to live within our means. Government must cut costs. The number of fancy SUV’s parked in Government Employee parking spaces makes it hard to believe these people are suffering. 

      6) Cayman was made on welcoming people and their money. As we had nothing to export to generate wealth, so implemented a policy to importe wealth. This policy was incredibly smart and is what put us ahead of ALL our neighbors. It is this very policy why we can claim higher achievement. For the most part, everyone got along. However, in 2004 we decided to reverse this policy and create a permanent division with the rollover. The rollover sends the exact opposite message to the one we used to get ahead in the first place. Why did we think we could import only the wealth and not the people? This is like going fishing without a boat, hook, bait, net and hand line. Are we that fool fool?

      If I’m wrong, please answer this. Why are work permits down and unemployment up? We were told, when people leave, we would get their jobs. So what happened?  Could it be, as the companies warned, that that the jobs don’t have to be here? Could it be other countries have adopted the Cayman policy of importing wealth that worked so well for us while we are deeming it obsolete?  Have we cut our noses to spite our faces?

  14. Sandra says:

    I hope that the majority of these crimes aren’t link to the economy, because it would mean that the government’s plan on dealing with the deficit, is not socially working. Also, what have they done with DER department to ensure Caymanians get jobs and are qualified. Perhaps, instead of enforcing so much hikes on fees, fines, and duties, they should just impose a simple flat tax, such as a payroll tax. That way it is simple not stressful, weget to see where the monies are going more easily, we don’t have to go through the hardache of having to deal with so many increases in diverse fees, and the tax can be used to help the unemployed and those who may be tempted to commit a crime due to unemployment out of desperation when they find no help from friends, family, and government.

    Sorry to say – because of our poor economic policies and hikes everywhere, stressing people out, we may end up killing our own young who don’t know any better but to commit a crime, and their will forever be in the community that lack of confidence in the RCIP and the UDP government.

    I ask people seriously what is so wrong with a tax that won’t become a detriment to our banking and financial industry – A tax that would spare us from all of these hikes and cuts?  I guess this is what the people want -UDP’s governance over the economy

    • Anonymous says:

      It’s nothing to do with the economy. We’ve always had local "entitled" layabouts and ne’er do wells in Cayman. But now they have guns aplenty and balls to go with them. Vigorous policing and action such as happened in GT the other night is needed to put them out of action.

    • Anonymous says:

      To 06:27:  We may call it what we may, or may choose to blame it on the ecomony, the Leaders, Premeir, Churches, School; however, what  life style one chooses it what makes all the difference.

      I am an East Ender, proud of my heritage, and I am pround of the people of East End for their hard  work to get and maintian their jobs over the years.  However, there are still those of this younger generation who are spoil to the core, disregards society and dont give a dam about their onwn lives.  What what must we do with those people.  We can try, preach all we want but if they do not want to change they will not change. 

      Now having said that; with all the common labour work, unskill workers on the job, why don’t some of our own people seek to be employed. some of them do not want to be employed.

      When it come on this type of behavour; we need to set a precedent just like the homeowner who took care of his house and family by shooting the intruder.  This is the only language they will  understand.  

      Dont worry, we will not let them stink us out when you kill them.  We as a community will get together and pick up donation to give them a decent funeral.  East End still have the community spirit.

      Disgrace to family and friends.

    • Anonymous says:

      Taxis not the solution PARENTING is!!!!

      • Anonymous says:

        yeah right… not the solution…

        we are already being tax with these increases. May as well implement one that way the increases of everything else won’t be necessary

  15. whodatis says:

    I’ve lost count for the last 2 – 3 days …

  16. Ex-pat Eric says:

    I wonder how many tourists were threatened!

    Guess the slide downhill is picking up steam!

  17. Anonymous says:

    RED JUMPSUIT? SOUNDS LIKE ELVIS. DID HE HAVE  A BIG COLLAR AND DIAMONDS ON HIS BACK?

    YEAH BABY. HOPE THE STAFF ARE NOT "ALL SHOOK UP"

     

    WELL IF YOU DONT LAUGH YOU HAVE TO CRY RIGHT? WHAT A MESS  (of blues ) (elvis song too ) sorry ill go now