Robbers strike at popular harbour front restaurant

| 02/09/2011

(CNS): One of downtown George Town’s most popular restaurants was targeted Thursday by masked robbers, who managed to get away with an undisclosed sum of cash. Police say that just after 10pm last night Casanova by the Sea was robbed when two masked men entered the premises, one of whom was brandishing a handgun, and demanded cash. The suspects then fled the scene with cash and were last seen running towards the Rock Hole area. Both were dressed in dark clothing, wearing masks and white gloves. One of the robbers spoke with what has been described as a Jamaican-Cayman accent.

No shots were fired, and no-one was injured in the incident.

Anyone who was in the area at the time and has any information about the crime should call George Town police station on 949-4222 or the confidential Crime Stoppers number 800-8477(TIPS).
 

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  1. Anonymous says:

    stop panicking about minor crime people!!! come up to Miami where AK47s are the standard hold up guns and where woment are holding up businesses. You get one little robbery and the world has to know about it…

  2. Shocked says:

    If the Governor had been dining in that establishment these animals would be hanging from the GOAB flagpoles.  Why are those in positions of power unable to see that – on British soil – this is simply NOT acceptable?  Fair enough we cannot control what McKeeva does to our reputation but we ought to be able to tackle the crime?  Why does no one give a ****?  Seriously – WHAT IS GOING ON?

     

    What we are witnessing is a collapse in confidence and trust.  The public have no confidence in the police (why should they?)  The police have no confidence in the prosecutors (why should they?)  The Governor plainly has no confidence in the public or he would be responding to the cries for help.  And it was decided years ago that the prison is a daycare sweet shop complete with bouncing castle and rainbow magic carpets.  None of the parties to this mess have a good track record – so we'll all just lock our doors, stay inside and moan on CNS.  It's NOT GOOD ENOUGH!!!  The irony is noted but you can bet I will be the first one to volunteer information about anything I see.  If you are a witness to a crime contact the police anonymously and negotiate the terms of your co-operation – you have the right to be protected.

     

    Also, if you still weren't sure whether McKeeva cared about you or not, this ought to prove to you that he really does not give a flying ****.  He probably grins when another place is robbed and reminds himself 'I'm sorted – add another 5 feet to the wall Mr Ebanks'.  It's PATHETIC!  What was the National Security Council for?  See how the previous government fought for a forum to put pressure on the Governor on security issues?  It's going to waste as far as I can see. It may be that details of its proceedings are embargoed but you would expect the members to have something to say nonetheless?  Don't want to get political but there's a reason we have elections – so there is an impetus for forward movement on issues.  Nothing ever improves if you put someone in charge who isn't being judged on his performance.  This is why having governors who are always at the end of their careers, and police commissioners from the UK (who have long since abandoned any notion of accountability) is a bad way to do things.  Can we get a Lt Col please?

  3. Anonymous says:

    When these thugs are found they should be made to do community service at the restaurant in question, in addition to the prison term that they would have to serve.  They should have to stay in prison at nights and at 6:00 be shackled and chained to a sink to scrub the pots and pans all day until closing 7 days per week in addition they should be made to mop the floors clean the toilets and grease traps, empty the garbage.  This might give them an idea of hard work and the appreciation of how to earn money the honest way.  This would certainly open their eyes to know that people have to work for a living not to rob and smash and grap.

  4. Anonymous says:

    This is bad news. It is my opinion that nothing will happen until we have politicians who lead by obeying the rules and ensuring that our laws are a deterrent. We also need to end the code of silence that protects criminals and we need competent police and prosecutors who enforce the laws without favour. Where are you Mr. Governor?

  5. Keystone Kops says:

    I bet the RCIPS got to the scene in record time to take the statement of the victims though, due to their fancy new expensive race cars.

  6. 8768 says:

    Jamaican- Caymanian accent… Wooaaii! Ever heard the San Andres – Caymanian Accent? How about the Phillipino-Caymanian one? or better yet, I wonder which accent Moses and Dr Frank have? Could they be home grown as well?

     

    • Anonymous says:

      Yes, quite bemused by this term "Jamaican -Cayman accent". I've been living here 32 years and married to (real) Caymanian, and have been teaching a predominantly Caymanian bunch of kids for almost the same length of time, and I could eventually recognise the differences between GT, WB, BT, NS and EE accents as clear as night and day. The individual providing the information is clearly at sea regarding the origin of accents!

  7. Anonymous says:

    I'll Make this short  and sweet ! . How many buisnesses are open in George Town at 10pm at nite ? Not many! Where is the police presence if nothing else they will  deter these bunch of losers from robbing. A couple of  Mary Street buisnesses were robbed three times last week. Are the RCIP still looking at CCTV footage that dosen't have fast forward and rewind options ?Someone needs to outfit these RCIP squad cars with GPS and find out if these Indians are at home sleeping when their supposed to be patrolling.

     

    When or if the RCIP installs GPS in the vehicles  the  big chief   needs to tell the rest of the Indians some better game plans to follow.There seems to be NO plan what so ever or the plan only last for a week.

    • Fish Pot says:

      14:45  No, not GPS, they need to put those prisoner ankle braclets on them to see where they is.  Want to know, check their friends house around the domino table,

    • Anonymous says:

      You are so right when you say they are asleep when they should be on the road.  Too many times they are on patrol with their cars parked behind their homes and fast asleep.   Hello!  Is this new news?  

  8. Anonymous says:

    mama mia, we need to call the power rangers

    • Anonymous says:

      How about the mafia?

       

      It's nothing personal. It's just business.

  9. Anonymous says:

    Girls, stop having fatherless Children. If your boyfriend looks like he in da hood run as fast as you can the other way. You will have nothing but a life of misery. Do it for yourself , your Country and all who walk the side of right. The "Thug" thing is truly a threat to national security and it's only cool if your 14 to 24 years old or never grew up. The rest of the world look at you like a complete Jacka$$.

  10. Anonymous says:

    Rock hole and several other places should have been paved over and made in to a parking area for down town years ago. It is the sore on the rear end of Cayman. If you can't afford to live in Cayman or don't want to work go somewhere else, immigrate , run barefoot and pick Bananas and take Mackeeva with you. Who said we have let Cayman be turned into the Ghetto to accomodate EVERYONE. The majority of the population should not feel under seige from these Maggots. We deserve better policing and better government. We don't have to let it slip away.

    • Anonymous says:

      I am sure that you will soon get your wish in having Rock hole and several other places paved over and made in to a parking area for down town.  Just a little word of wisdom when this happens you or your children, grand children and future generations will never be able to use those parking lots you most definately will not get a job to park your car there, or even hold a job as security in those lots as may be the case now. Due to your lack of knowldege of Cayman's history, I can see you are defiinately an expat who came here from an area which reminds you of Rock hole which in my opinion is far superior from where you came from and now due to the generosity ofCayman you are able to escape to a style of living that astonishes you and as a result you want no reminder of where you came from.  Be very careful of what you wish for.  Caymanians problems are due to the lack of vision and trying to be who and what they are not ; just the same kind of rubbish that you are advocation here.  It will be a sad day indeeded (soon come)  when not a single native Caymanian will own a piece of property in the entire GT and West Bay Road.

  11. Knock 3 Times says:

    This is some shocking news to hear for these islands, and also for the whole world to read about. I am saddened each day I read about another robbery that happens on this once island that time stood still. I have been here nearly 20 years and figure it might just be time to slowly move on with my family. I spoke to my wife, who is Caymanian, and it was actually her idea.

    Whatgets me is that we see new patrol cars on the streets that might have taken a few weeks to get from start to finish, yet, we have these cameras that the law is still not passed! C'mon, seriously? Get'er done! Get it passed. I don't care if they put a camera on every street corner that could possibly have one. I am a law abiding Residency holder, I do not break the law only for one thing, which I will admit. I do speed at times as I just always seemed to have, I am careful as possible when I do. I never speed on housing estates or streets that I know would cause an accident, but yet we never know do we. Anyway, my point I'm trying to make is that I will take a speeding ticket a day if I got caught by the cameras each time over all of this crime that is happening. If you are in the streets, then you are in the 'publics eye'. You should be responsible for any wrongdoings that you do in public. I don't care if its in your own housing estate or wherever, once in public, then you guilty. Forget about whatever is holding up this law, just pass it.

    I would sooner see more money spent on this, than money being wasted on MLA's accusing other MLA's of crimes or whatever, and costing the public purse wasted money.

    Stop giving money to churches on this island. Is this whole island Christian? Are there any Caymanian Jehovahs Witnesses? Any Catholics? Any other religion that are Caymanians? DID THEY GET ANY NATION BUILDING MONEY FROM GOVERNMENT? I'm not against religion by the way, just against money being given in wrong ways.

    Stop giving money to the needy to pay their mortgages, they gonna have to pay it sooner or later. Do they have a repayment plan to pay back? If not, then I can gaurentee you that in a few months, more and more ppl will ask for assistance. Let me ask you this 'DaddyMac' – Have all these ppl that have asked for assistance tried everything under the sun to make these payments? The only ppl that should be given this assistance should be old ppl, that are incapable of working a solid job. If you are a young person then I don't see why the government cannot pay you to clean the beach, streets, government vehicles, ambassador downtown while cruise ships are in, selling ppl to come back for overnight stay.

    Another thing that frustrates a lot of ppl here is the judicialsystem that we have. These 'thugs' should be given the dumbest lawyer on earth to represent them. Not whom they chose. I have seen so many times of a thug being represented by an expensive lawyer. Now, where is that money coming from to pay the lawyer? Who is paying for it. You want free legal representation, well here ya go, meet Weiner Frankfurt, his street name is "Dumbo", he will give you the best advise ever. These criminals getting away with all these technicalities, and frustrates the RCIP.

    DaddyMac, Big-Mac 2 John John,Juliana Palin and all you other sesame street characters, get of your butts, do something, get things passed, work overtime if you have to, meet twice a week if ytou have to, I'm sure it won't kill you!!! Backside….

    Now that I've gotten that off my chest, let me go back to building my treehouse out my back garden, calling it 'Heavens Getaway Christian Church', and ask kfor government assistance. 

    All in all, this island is getting out of control and needs to be taken by the reins.

     

    Over and out

     

    My name is Obama, Barack Obama

  12. Anonymous says:

    As much negative comments as there are made about Jamaica, I can tell you one thing (and I am not Jamaican). At least in Jamaica is seems they realize what their bread and butter is (hence tourism) and they don't really mess with tourists. They may kill each other and rob and still from each other, but I don't believe they really mess with tourists (unless you are completely stupid and go into aread you really shouldn't need to go!).

    On my last visit there, I felt comfortable to walk as a femal on my own with an expensive camera strapped around my neck along some of the mountain roads. I wouldn't dare to do this anymore here and I NEVER thought I would have to make such a statement.

  13. Anonymous says:

    These cockroaches need to be stamped hard under the boot of the law. Not this police force. A real police force. These guys need to put on notice, hunted and screwed with to no end. Even for minor infractions of the law, dark tint, blasting mo fo dis and mo dat through george town with the windows down. Just looking like they are trouble should be cause enough (spare the thumds down nobody's fooling anyone). A few simple words, where do you work? What is your employers telephone number to verify, Where do you live, Where can we reach you? A list needs to be made and tabs need to be kept OD Anyone who doesn't seem right. If anyone is being arrested and convicted who has been given status , take it away and buy them a one way ticket off. Need to hit them hard. The police must be revamped and now. Need Dirty Harry, Beuford T Pusser, Sheriff Andy Taylor….anyone but no more British Style Policing. New York Style for these guys. Rub them out and deal with them!

  14. Anonymous says:

    What do you expect? People break the law every day and nothing happens. I see cars with dark tinted windows, people breaking the speed limit, parking in handicap parking spaces etc etc etc. – but I do not see any police.

    It is a joke when there is a road block and drivers arefeisty enough to pull their cars around and head the other way. It is a full slap in the face of the RCIP! Still, nothing happens.

    When children get in trouble at school – nothing happens. It is covered up, there is no bullying, there are no drugs! All of this breeds complete disrespect for any authority.

    The criminals laugh because there is a high rate of possibility that a) they never get caught, or b) if they get caught, they get off anway, so they gladly take the chance. I guess it beats a life of going to work everyday.

    I don't know about you all, but where I grew up, I was scared of the police. We didn't dare to go over the speed limit or draw any sort of negative attention from the authorities on us.

    We recently had visitors from the States. A 14 year old CHILD commented out of nowhere that she has never been anywhere like Cayman where seemingly nobody observes the speed limit. The words out of his mouth were" I guess you all know there is no police around"……..Scary!!!!!

  15. Anonymous says:

    we don't need Baines we need Haines. Baines likes posturing haines liked results.  the difference tells in the crime rate.

    • Anonymous says:

      i'm frustrated. I keep clicking the thumbs up for this post and i can only get one change!!!!!!!

  16. Anonymous says:

    i was coming to Cayman later this year again for my holidays and was looking forward to eating at my favourite restaurant casanova.Sadly with all the reported crime and now the robbers targetting tourist eating places we are probably going to give the Island a miss this time.Hopefully the authorities can get a grip on this crime wave as  for a small island is being looked at from outside as the wild wild west.

    • Fish Pot says:

      10:32  tell me where you are comming from, because   I wouldlike to live there if there is no crime going on.  I believe even in space there are people up there trying to steal the gold off the streets, and the pearls from the gate, beside down bottom Hell,  I believe they are also down dey with Ice water trying to out the fire.  So where do we go from here I want to knowl.

      • Anonymous says:

        Fish Pot: It doesn't matter where they are from or how much crime they have in their country.  They come to Cayman to be on vacation and relax. RELAX not worry about getting mugged in a restaurant.  Honestly, I feel more comfortable vacationing in the US than I do going to Grand Cayman.

        Attacking the person won't make them come to the Cayman Islands.  Remember Tourism is our bread and butter.  We have to fix this problem.

        Note that we also advertise our islands as safe.

        A Bracker

        • Fish Pot says:

          19:40 you try hush because no one is attacking anyone, because if listening to you no one would want to come here, when Cayman is still the safest place on earth.  It is people like you who come here and want to give Cayman a bad name, Stop it.

        • Anonymous says:

          I've been debating a visit to Cayman this fall and following the news is making me think it's best to skip it.  Too many robberies, shootings, bad press with court cases.  I do not want to be nervous and afraid on vacation, it's not worth it.

    • Anonymous says:

      Your no more a tourist than I am Caymanian!!!  But i like being here and it's not that bad!

      • Fish Pot says:

        19:41 thank you, who ever you are, at least you appreciate what ever you got from Cayman.  Thank you

    • Anonymous says:

      I am an American tourist and frequent dive visitor to Cayman…The perception that “things like this just don’t happen in GC” has real value to us as visitors…to have that fantasy busted, and at a restaurant we frequented 4 of 9 nights last month, with our kids, after also suspecting their parking lot iswhere our rental car was broken into, is very disconcerting. I mimic the concerns of the poster above, and am a little stunned that the local police seem to be having such a difficult time finding a few thugs on such a small island…The new cars were pretty (we saw more police this trip than all trips in past ten years combined)…here’s hoping they put them to good use!

  17. Anonymous says:

    Nobody it seems is willing to do anything about this through inability, or fear of repercussions through human rights. The time has arrived for Seal Team 6 to have juristriction – that way no-one has to acknowledge their presence but others will fear the concequence. . .

  18. Anonymous says:

    This is a p***take. I agree with so many before me who have pointed a lot of blame at the police. Why buy new police cars to chase people in when this island is so small? There is no where to run. If you are smart enough and trained well you can corner people on this island. It isn't the states where you can keep driving! We don't need fast cars we need competent police offciers who aren't just on high horses and use it as a power trip. The force needs a clean out and revamped and the people at the top need replacing. That's what happens when you don't do your job properly. You get replaced by someone who will.

    • Anonymous says:

      You are 100% spot on my friend! 

      Instead of them blowing a good chunk of the $30M on new unnecessary toys, they should have spent the money on beefing up their presence on a 24hr system. Nothing wrong with updating dated or decommissioned vehicles or adding to the fleet but, the supercharged, highway patrol, gas guzzling nonsense they bought was a complete waste of time and money.

      There are all kinds of incentives they can implement in order to motivate and get the force to really care and want to do something actively about the crime situation.  Offer Triple pay on Holidays, time & a half for those on the grave-yard shift.  Do whatever they have to get them out there actively present.  Make the people feel confident, safe and secure in them.

      The only time you see Police around is post-incident, road blocks or when they are all parked in a supermarket lot planning for the road block.

      Come on guys.  Get it together!

       

    • Anonymous says:

      They bought the cars because they are fun to drive and “the chicks dig them”. There is no chance whatsoever that the cops are going to race into an armed robbery scenario while their only defensive weapons are a ball-point pen and the ability to say “ya mon” menacingly.

      They need GUNS. Big-a$$ GUNS and lots of them. And if the present roster of cops can’t be trusted with Big-a$$ Guns, then we need new cops, and lots of new cops, all with Big-a$$ Guns and lots of them. The days of keeping the peace with a “ya mon” and a wagging finger are over. Cayman’s crime moved into the big league, and it’ll keep rolling over everyone until the cops join the big league of law enforcement, all with Big-a$$ Guns and lots of them. Governor… we’re waiting….

      • Anonymous says:

        The police have guns and can use them on occassions such as these. However, we certainly do not want every single officer packing a gun. That can only lead to disaster.  

        • Anonymous says:

          Let me guess – the guns are back at the station where they are “safe” (meaning they won’t get lost and the cops won’t accidentally shoot themselves). So the armed robbery call comes in, and the cops on the beat in the relevant neighbourhood (presuming there are any, which I doubt) go racing… back to the station… to get the guns, maybe a donut, and then go racing… oh screw it, the robbers are gone already…

          Another donut?

  19. Anonymous says:

    Any lay person can see that Thursday's are a hot night for robberies.  Perhaps the best use of the Police would to be to pay them to be around at closing times in areas that have been hit by robberies.  Would be better to pay them from the public purse to be in specific spots instead of just cruising around in the AC whereever they feel like.

    I am opposed to having them become private security, but if they are going to be paid put them in specific spots, have them patrol a six block area for God's sake!

  20. Anonymous says:

    Come on Cayman!  What the hell is going on?  Get this low life scum behind bars.

    • Anonymous says:

      The writing is on the wall.  What is the point in the Police arresting would be criminals and the Courts setting them free.  That is the biggest JOKE of all. If the prescribed law calls for 10 years give the extent of the law for the crime but we have to handle them with kids gloves, so you have to gently and softly speak to them and whisper in their ears, ( you need to be a good boy or girl).   Set them free and let them commit more crime.

  21. Anonymous says:

    This island is going downhill so fast that people are laughing at us . There is sun and sand all over the world ,so why stop here when Cayman is turning into a international joke . No leadership , no improvements to speak of . All talk and talk and talk . You have to pay God knows who to get things done. Crime is winning , new cop cars for what? When young THUGS,not pros are doing what ever, when ever ,then who wants to stay here ?

    Politicians cannot make a single decision  or refuse to work the people who can do the things this island needs. Wake up! Cayman is getting real old and weak fast, it is not even a nice place to visit anymore never mind invest in . Not the island time forgot but the island the rest of the world is forgetting.

  22. Turn in the bums says:

    Some wife, mother, auntie, or girlfriend is sleeping with or doing the laundry of these low-lifes.  Time to stand up and call the tip line!  Stop harbouring criminals.

  23. Poor Tony says:

    Time to catch these thugs!  Come on….robbing a 90% credit-card use place?  That is not a heavy cash business. These thieves are getting desperate and know that any business open after sunset is an easy target.  I hope the staff is okay.

  24. Anonymous says:

    Baines has turned the RCIP into a farce!

    They have told the MLAs that we now have firearms coverage in all districts and this foolishness still continues. Baines and the officer in charge of the Firearms team should be fired! This is ridiculous!

    A bad attorney general and a good commissioner (KERNOHAN) was removed before; ALL of the MLAs need to be changed in the next election if they cant do this now.

  25. Anonymous says:

    The crime will not stop until people on the island start turning in the criminals. People KNOW who are doing these crimes!!

     

    I wonder how many tourists were enjoying their meals at Casanova when the restaurant was robbed.  I also am wondering how many tourists  are  reading this and have eaten there in the past and can relate the restaurant to their wonderful memories of their vacation. It will spoil that view quite quickly. 

     

    "Hey, we ate at the restaurant when we were in Cayman" "It just got robbed by 2 gunmen" "We won't be going back there"

     

    That is just common dialect. Whether some agree or not.  For any establishment, in any country….that is one's first expression.

     

    THINK, criminals, THINK.

    THINK, people covering for those criminals, THINK!