Four robberies in one week

| 06/03/2011

(CNS): Police have now arrested another suspect after the third robbery of the weekend and the fourth in less than one week. A police spokesperson confirmed that this latest hold-up took place at about 8pm on Saturday night (5 March). According to the report, a masked man, armed with what appeared to be a gun, entered Three N’s grocery store in Batabano Plaza, West Bay, threatened staff and demanded cash. The suspect made off from the scene with what was described as a “small sum of money” but no shots were fired and no one was injured in the incident. A short time later, following a police operation in the West Bay area, a man was arrested on suspicion of robbery. He is currently detained in police custody while enquiries are ongoing.

Despite the significant headway being made by officers in arresting and charging a number of suspects, there seems to be no let up in the number of robbers using firearms in order to hold up businesses for small amounts of cash. This is the 17th robbery of 2011, making an average robbery rate of one incident every 3.2 days.

Anyone who was in the Batabano area at the relevant time and has any information which could assist the enquiry is asked to call West Bay police station on 949-3999 or the confidential Crime Stoppers tip-line 800-8477 (TIPS).

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  1. Lisztomania says:

    Just curious. What was the crime rate like in the Caymans ten – fifteen years ago? Was it really that much better or is it because that long ago, if a crime happened, you wouldn’t hear about it until the evening news or in the morning paper. It was not as "in your face" as it is now. Could it be that we were a bit more de-sensitized back then, given the amount of time in between the crime happening and the report of the crime?

    My point could be moot if crimes were significantly lower back then.

    One other point. Has Cayman seen a significant increase in its population? Bigger populations equal a rise in crime.

     

    • Lachlan MacTavish says:

      I understand your point. Thank-you for bringing it up. Ten to fifteen years ago crime was almost non existent. We didn’t need online news then to find out what was going on. When and if something happened word spread quickly, people assisted the police without fear of getting shot, prison was no fun, and we had a small fraction of the guns that we have on the island now.

      Crime is out of control in Cayman because 1) Mr. Bush for whatever reason just wants to point the finger at the Governor and say its yours and the UK’s job. ( IMHO Mr. Bush should be the head of the attack on crime if he was working for the people). 2) In the 80"s the elected members felt we had groups not gangs. So the gangs started to get a foothold and drugs became a way to riches. 3) There was a complete lack of social services and education for Caymanians about crime and drugs so proper parenting for unruly youths did not exist. 4) There was no boys or girls homes to try to help way ward kids. 5) Ivan displaced a lot of people and over stayers have not been removed from the island. 6) Mr. Bush’s status grant has back fired. 7) Penalties for violent crimes have not been severe enough. 8) The courts need more funding. 9) The people at the top intimidate so the criminals will do the same. 10)  Guns, drugs, dangerous driving, gangs, violence, no accountability, poor education, bad parenting, no social services , all have been allowed to get entrenched in our society mainly due to poor leadership. 

      Cayman is in a hell of a mess with no easy fix and no leadership wanting to address crime. It is pathetic and the people suffer because of it. Next the real ramifications on the tourist and professional industries will start to surface as they did in The Bahamas and JA. This is history repeating itself and leadership ignoring the facts.

    • Anonymous says:

      I don’t know where you were living 10-15 years ago but to anyone who has lived in Cayman for at least 10 years it is obvious that these crime levels bear absolutely no comparison to anything we have experienced. The rate of increase in crime far outstrips the growth of the population.

  2. Anonymous says:

     Do you all REALLY want Bush to get serious about crime?  Then MAKE him do away with all his very costly security for himself and his family or make him pay for it with his own money.  The only way a person like him will take any action is if it has to do with him or his money.  The voting people of Cayman voted in an uneducated proven failure at everything and now they are crying because he continues to fail.  What does that tell an educated person?

  3. Anonymous says:

    We talk, we write, we argue, and in the meantime Cayman is burning. Desperate times call for desperate measures. We need to bring in a task force NOW. A force comprised of persons who have no connection to anyone on the island and who isn’t going to worry who is who’s cousin, uncle, son or brother and who can deal with this assault on our communities. We are being terrorized in our neighbourhoods and being paralyzed by fear. I pray that God will have mercy on us as we are plagued by this scourge of crime.

  4. Anonymous says:

    Why charge the man for murder? He certainly in my opinion did a good job. That bxxxxxx broke into my apartment and stole the tennants valuables. All thieves should be 6 ft. The man should’ve been given a medal and I applaud him on a job well done. If I had to make a choice, I would’ve defended myself in the same or similar manner. Job well done.

  5. IRON CLAD says:

    My good people, what we need here is ANOTHER Premier, ANOTHER Minister for Internal/External Affairs and a REAL Police Commissioner who has actually have enough sense and care to fully understand the negative implications here and the end result to follow. Once that has been achieved, then combined with the support of the people, they could make demands on the Governor to adjust the right laws to have our police force ARMED, then to instate real HARDCORE unit of say 150-200 officers that would be tasked with an absolute ‘Clean Up’ the ‘GARBAGE’ we have in our society. Then to adopt a truly PROACTIVE and PREVENTATIVE policing of our little Island Nation into the future. In aid of the ‘clean-up’, we also need a hardcore prison that serves up ‘HARD TIME’ – ROUGH conditions in prison. The prisoners would have to go out and work to build homes and public buildings FREE of charge. That way they are forced to GIVE BACK to the society.

    What I would truly love to see here is an ELITE FORCE like the Honduran COBRAS and the way one of their former Presidents ordered the ERADICATION of the MARA Salvatrucha Gang Members in Honduras and that was PRECISELY what was done. When he was done with the job, the President had literally VOLUMES of names printed of those gang members that were KILLED/ERADICATED in the clean-up operation printed and put out into the Town Halls for family members to know if their ‘piece of garbage’ was killed in that operation then they could simply get on with their lives.

    That’s what we should have here to just clean up this garbage and get on with OUR lives. Thank you very much.

    Totally IRON CLAD.

  6. Gun Supporter says:

    I would gladly assist anyone that attempts to rob me and my family in getting over to the other side so that they can see first hand what the afterlife is all about.  My take on criminals??? KILL THEM ALL AND LET GOD SORT THEM OUT!!

    I am sick of this island becoming more and more each day like Jamaica and the rest of the 3rd world countries that have crime out of control.  Pretty soon things will get out of hand and the Police will be faced with the sad fact that they are going to lose one of their own.  We have to change the way we approach these criminals.

    Why can’t we just train our women in the use of Pepper Spray and at least give them some form of protection.  Why can’t young boys be thought proper gun safety in schools.  Give good citizens the chance to protect themselves properly.  Police you want to raise funds?  Start giving classes and once they are certified you can sell them a gun and gun safe to put in their homes.  Extra income for government.  I am sure a man knows how to protect his home much better than a Police could. 

    I tell you this much.  I will kill any man that comes into my home with intent to rob steal or injure anyone in my family. 

    BE SAFE CAYMAN

    • Dennie Warren Jr. says:

      Re: “Why can’t we just train our women in the use of Pepper Spray…”

      Because  Section 78 of the Penal Code (2007 Revision) makes it illegal for any private person, except a police officer, security officer…, to be in possession of such sprays.  I think it is a stupid law, but that is the reason why women can’t be trained…

  7. Anonymous says:

    Is there any West Bay area business that has not been robbed at least once yet?

  8. Libertarian says:

    ***** Just to show you how much government trust its own people, a contrast of this one that are scared of arming its civilians: There are well over than five hundred thousand SIG SG 550 assault rifles in Swiss homes. Basic military training is mandatory for young men. Afterwards, they are required to keep their weapons at home, locked away safe in case of an emergency. All the animals in the animal kingdom has some form of defense against predators, but look at us! Without the right to bear arms, a man is helpless if he is attacked in his own house! If Cayman is the “Little Swiss” of the caribbean, I can’t see why we cant do more to promote the possession of a standard firearm so good folk can keep in their home and on their business premises. To date, Switzerland has the lowest crime rate in the world! It is obvious- how do you fight crime, dictators, corrupt police officers, anyone who is attacking you with lethal force, et cetera… Simply give the people more freedom to protect themselves! But apparently, this government and the colonial UK one, do not trust the people. They would rather prefer the police armed and not civilians, because they believe “power” should be vested more in the government rather than the people! Any country or state that refuses the people to have the right to bear arms, is not a democratic state, and it doesn’t matter if they are living on a small tropical island! Studies show that a criminal would think twice on entering a man’s house when he knows there is the possibility of that man having a firearm! Now we hear the Commissioner of Police saying that if we arm the police, criminals will arm themselves too. Well… Mr. Baines, it is clear that they are using the firearms to already attack and pistal whip people. I think many of our politicians are living in la-la-land. They need to wake up and see that Cayman is not like it use to be 10 years ago.***** M.R.

    • Anonymous says:

      Fighting fire with fire means that everyone gets burned.

      When it comes to fighting fire, remember that the fire department uses water; it is far more effective and gets the job done.

      • Anonymous says:

        Nice try but if a fire can no longer be controlled with water they will sometimes use explosives to starve it of oxygen or even more commonly "fire breaks" (think forest fires) to keep it from spreading.

    • Anonymous says:

       Giving the right to have firearms to the very people who are responsible for electing, backing and giving up all rights to the current leadership would be like giving a flame thrower to a group of 10year olds.  Comparing the average Swiss adult male with his education, cultural background, and military training to the same of the average Caymanian male?  Insane!

      Now you could train and educate the average Caymanian male but with the leadership you have now it will never happen.

  9. Anonymous says:

    This is all down to the failed education system and bad parenting that has evolved in the last 20 years, as well as a growing number of resentment in the island about the distribution of wealth.  In the hands of a few people…… Also in these difficult times the rich are getting richer, everyone else poorer. We need a fairer and more caring society

    • Anonymous says:

      Right on!!!!!

    • Anonymous says:

      Exactly !!

    • Anonymous says:

       This is exactly the thinking that IS causing crime.  Its always because of someone else.. blah blah blah.  Its because the guy down the street got a BMW and I ain’t gaw-nun.  The other guy has a house and I ain’t gaw-nun.

      Once you get rid of that disgusting entitlement mentality like its society’s responsibility to feed your sorry pathetic @sses, and see to it that you have "your fair share" of someone else’s hard work. may be _then_ you well see crime go down.

       

       

  10. Michel Lemay says:

    Kudos to the RCIPS for arresting hopefully the right person. I pray that more are to come. I thinks it’s time for our Premier to get his priorities right and stop petitionning, thinking of oil refineries, channels etc. and start with our serious crime problem. All those, with information should come forward to their Pastors or anyone of their choice if they don’t want to go to the Police. At this rate no districts are safe. With the result of the arrest of the 2 for the robbery Barefoot Beach it’s only a matter of time before the 3rd. is caught and that is good and please make it a deterrent. We cannot depend on the RCIPS alone as they have more then hands full. As I said before start paying them overtime so that our force is always fully staffed and pay if you have to special constable with police radios or special phones to effect surveillance at specific high crime places for escape routes. The little it will cost will save our Islands from going down the drain. We wont get anyone to invest and enjoy our beautiful Islands if it keeps going on this way. Mr. Premier and Cabinet see that the funds are made available and Mr. Governor use your special powers if you have to. God Bless

    • Anonymous says:

      Big difference between catching alleged perps and getting convictions.

      Let’s not get carried away here, the RCIPS track record for getting the right people and putting them behind bars is not impressive.

    • Anonymous says:

      Re 12:08 ,Be careful Michael what you wish for. It just might happen. “Don’t pray for more to come” as you are in the boat too . Why would you want the boat to sink or spring a leak while you are also aboard.That don’t make a lot of sense. your end might go down first. If its just to prove a point to our Premier, thats downright suicidal. I want the GS Cayman to stay afloat because i am on board also.

      • Anonymous says:

        17:06 I doubt very seriously that he was saying “pray more to come” as meaning more crime. He meant more arrests to come.

  11. Dennie Warren Jr. says:

    Seven months ago, a home intruder (the criminal) was shot dead by a home owner (the victim who lawfully owned and used his firearm).  That intruder was prevented from being able to commit future offenses.

    • Anonymous says:

      You appear to be advocating the death penalty for burglary, which is a fairly radical point of view. 

      • anonymous4 says:

        I don’t think that is what he is saying (I hope not), but if an intruder comes into your home and has something in his hand in the dark that looks like a gun, and you have your gun in your hands, and he makes a move at you, wouldn’t you use the weapon you were trained to use? I think Dennie see it is alright to use a weapon in his DEFENSE if he feels that his life is being threatened by the intruder’s actions against him. But to just shoot the man because he steps into your window like a common burglar… now I know that is murder and in the uk there was a case where a man was sentenced for shooting another man in the back whilst he was fleeing his resdience. Murder is murder.. no question about it. But when it comes to self-defense in your own home, every man or woman has the right to defend themselves.

      • Anonymous says:

         I think the death penalty for breaking into my house is entirely proper, and I’m happy to deliver it.

        • Anonymous says:

          Amen! Amen! Amen Anon Sun 19;11.The wishy-washy UK inspired-Guardian-newspaper-Sunday afternoon tea cup liberalism in some of these posts is depressing in the extreme. But I think it is just one bleeding heart poster who of course would see things different if his/her spouse or son or daughter were at risk from one of these poor misunderstood downtrodden home invaders.

      • Dennie Warren Jr. says:

        No. In short, the death penalty is like apples and self-defense is like oranges.  The concept of the “death penalty” is an order which may be issued as a result of a judicial process, while self-defense is a common law and statute right to use force, including up to deadly force if necessary to-
        1.  defend yourself from unlawful attacks
        2.  prevent an unlawful attack on another person
        3.  defend your property

        Section 244(1) of the Penal Code (2007 Revision) reads: "Whoever commits any burglary and at the same time has with him any firearm or imitation firearm, any offensive weapon or any explosive is guilty of the offence of aggravated burglary and liable to imprisonment for life."

        The two criminals who went to the victim’s home were both armed with offensive weapons, but only one was shot dead.  How do you know that "burglary" was their intent, or only intent?

    • Anonymous says:

      And, sadly, having done his good deed, that homeowner felt he had to leave Cayman and go live somewhere else, I understand.

      • Dennie Warren Jr. says:

        The victim was preparing to relocate before that incident occurred.

      • Anonymous says:

        I agree it is sad that he left Cayman. He should have been charged with murder.

        • Anonymous says:

          Acting in self-defense or in defense of another person is generally accepted as legal justification for killing a person in situations that would otherwise have been murder

          mur·der (mûrdr)
          n.
          1. The unlawful killing of one human by another, especially with premeditated malice.

          Are you saying that this gentleman invited this man into his house and then laid in wait to kill him?… that would be murder and I DON’T BELIEVE THAT WAS THE CASE!!!!

          • Anonymous says:

            It doesn’t need to be premeditated for it to be considered murder. The killer may have acted in self defence. Like you however, I don’t know for sure whether this was the case. My point is that a court should decide if he’s innocent or guilty, not the police.

            • Dennie Warren Jr. says:

              Would you say which law the victim transgressed that you feel he should have been charged for?

              • Anonymous says:

                The victim is dead, so unlikely to face any charges. Breaking and entering is the only crime I’m aware of that he committed.

                If you’re talking about the home owner then you might want to re-read my post from Sunday evening. You were kind enough to give me the phonetic spelling.

                The home owner needs to prove to a jury that he used reasonable force to prevent a crime. If he didn’t then he’s guilty of either murder or manslaughter.

                • au revoir says:

                  The homeowner is neither guilty of murder or manslaughter – he has not been tried, and I don’t anticipate that he will be tried.  Apparently he used reasonable force – if he had not, he would have been charged.  The culprit ought to have been aware of the risks that he was taking while engaging in his criminal enterprise…  Had he not been trying to rob these people, he would not have been shot – really, that simple.

                • Dennie Warren Jr. says:

                  The victim of the home invasion is the home owner.

        • I see you says:

          So, you would have preferred to read “homeowner shot dead in the attempted robbery and the robber charged with murder” (that is if they caught him). Wake up fool.

    • cayman stew says:

      Home owners and business owners should be able to have defensive arms, but with careful psychological assessment and license if it is a firearm! The police force should also bear proper arms of defense! Handcuffs, baton, and simple pepper spray is what security officers wear on their belts in the States!

      • Dennie Warren Jr. says:

        Re: “Home owners and business owners should be able to have defensive arms…”

        Any person who is 18 years of age for shotguns and 21 years of age for handguns and rifles, and who is not a restricted person, currently can legally own firearms for personal protection, not just a home and business owner.

        Section 18(1)(a) of the Firearms Law (2008 Revision) reads: “No person shall discharge any firearm on or within forty yards of any public road or in any public place except in the lawful protection of his person or property or of the person or property of some other person”

        Re: “…but with careful psychological assessment…”

        Section 21(2) of the Firearms Law (2008 Revision) reads: “No licence or permit shall be granted to any person who- (a) is of intemperate habits, liable to fits of uncontrolled temper, notoriously careless in the use of firearms or of unsound mind; or (b) is for any reason unfitted to be entrusted with a firearm.”

        In law, a “restricted person” means any person who (a) has served imprisonment for three months or upwards and has been released within five years; or (b) has, at any time within five years next before the event in relation to which the term is used, been convicted of an offence under this Law or of any offence involving fraud or violence.

        However, no person should be treated as having an unsound mind unless that person has first been adjudicated as such in a court of law.
         

  12. Anonymous says:

    All this goes to show, is that public opinion is no opinion, when it comes to crime. Why aren’t the politicians outraged that these punks and criminals are not only undermining their efforts improve the economy and society but also making them look like idiots who can’t address or control crime in a small island. I mean we’re not talking about a big city or even country here. But then maybe they’re cowering in their boots just like the rest of us and sticking their heads in the lovely 7-Mile beach sand! Just wait till dead bodies start washing ashore. Bye bye Tourism, Finance and Mr. Moneybags. They act like we’re the only offshore center in the world. Hilarious!!…Not!!!  And by the way… can we please fire the Commissioner for failing dismally in his job now? Any other position with these results would have  seen heads rolling. Or maybe it depends whether it’s a Caymanian head! English heads apparently have a "no termination" policy. So fed up with this…no wonder so many police are leaving the circus. 

  13. Shock and Awe says:

    This is getting serious!

    It’s time to form a Commission to make a report to implement a policy! Forwarded to the Premier!

    And then for him to forward the report to a Board for study!! To make recommendations to a Committee of the Whole!!

    Their findings will be forwarded back to the Premier when he’s back on island!!!  Or if he’s not here the Acting Premier!!! When she’s here.

    And he or she along with the Cabinet will form a policy to be put before the entire Legislature for discussion!!!

    In the meantime the criminals will wait for the final results.

  14. anonymous says:

    The Government needs to introduce the finger print system. Finger print every caymanian and everone working here. The Premier must have a reason why he is not listening to the people, but he is only one man so all the others in LA can stand up and say enough is enough or is everyone lying to us.

    • Anonymous says:

      Fingerprints can be patchy evidence even with modern technology, why not use DNA?

    • Henry Hill says:

      Fingerprints are only helpful in the off chance that the criminal touches something. Fingerprints are primarily an identification tool. Any crime solving uses are secondary. I’m not a criminologist but I firmly believe that Cayman would be better served by investing in primary crime detection and prevention tools before fingerprinting the population.

  15. Anonymous says:

    Great place to want to live, packing my bags moving there tomorrow. Welcome to the new Cayman.