Social media could help cops

| 06/02/2014

(CNS): Updated According to social media exchanges, at least one or two of Cayman’s most wanted criminals are not hiding very well. Local police released a list of seven men that they have listed as ‘wanted’ with the international crime fighting and intelligence agency, Interpol. Dan Kelly (left) is one of those men and those who know him say he is alive and well and living in Birmingham, according to Facebook posts. Kelly absconded while on bail sometime in 2013 awaiting trial for a local daylight robbery at the Caribbean Bakery in West Bay back in 2010. In addition, social media comments have also revealed that Richard Hurlston, who also skipped bail ahead of his trial for kidnapping, is in Honduras and has been spotted frequently by locals visiting that country.

In the wake of news that Hassan Syed, the former president of the local university who is wanted for theft in relation to some CI$200,000, was collared and taken into custody in Switzerland last year as he was on the Interpol list, the hunt for local fugitives has returned to the news but it seems that several of them are spotted quite frequently and their whereabouts has been posted on social media.

According to one Facebook exchange, Kelly is living somewhere in the northwest of the inner city of the Midlands town and has been for some time. While he has never answered the charges, his co-accused, Derek Simpson, pleaded guilty and was given a three year sentence. Hurlston, who is alleged to be the mastermind behind the abduction of Tyson Tatum, is said to be a frequent feature at Goloson International Airport in la Ceiba, where he regularly collects his mail from Cayman. Although he too has yet to face justice regarding the crime, three other men were convicted and jailed in connection with the kidnapping.

The other wanted men listed by the RCIPS with Interpol include Arthur Screaton, who is Canadian and has been wanted since 2013 for theft from a local bar. He also absconded while on bail. Dorley Taylor, a Nicaraguan national, is wanted for theft and Shawn Mourao, a South African who was working here as a tour boat captain, is wanted on suspicion of sexual assault on a cruise ship passenger.

It is not clear, however, how much the local police use social media as a way to gather intelligence. Last year it was revealed by CNS that prisoners were frequently using Facebook to communicate from inside the cells on smuggled smart phones, and during a string of gang related murder investigations in 2011 police appeared unaware of the pictures and information related gang members were posting about the rivalry and posing with weapons.

CNS has contacted the RCIPS which told us Thursday afternoon that it uses all possible resources.“As a modern police service we utilise any and all legal opportunities available to us to gather evidence and information relative to criminal activity,” a police spokesperson stated but made no comment regarding the current cases mentioned.

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  1. Anonymous says:

    This is so easy to tackle .. there should be an automatic link between the judicial system and immigration. As soon as a case has been subitted in any court (Summary to Grand) an automatic note should be placed on the immigration system that they be arrested should they try to leave. Of course we will still have those that leave before charges are laid or by boat. But at least the numbers will be reduced.

  2. Anonymous says:

    I'd take Northward over Birmingham or Honduras.

  3. Anonymous says:

    Just to assist with finding these guys, all youhave to do is go on FB and Linkin and guess what they're all there…. Just needed to find a few of their friends and bingo there they are!!!! Oh AS is in Colorado, USA…

  4. Anonymous says:

    The sharks gone with allyboo bobo!

  5. Anonymous says:

    What I don't understand is how in the world do suspects or convicted criminals get to travel abroad.  Once they are arrested their travel documents should be conviscated and any attempts to exit the islands should be alerted on immigration computers and finger printing needs to come into affect  to exit at the airport, just the same as other countries.  Now unless they hop on a boat or swim somewhere then this kind of thing should not be happening.

  6. Anonymous says:

    No more visas for Hondurans until they bring Richard Hurlston back from Guanaja – Mangrove Bight to be exact. He even owns a business here with family employed. A fugitive with a trade and business license.

    • Diogenes says:

      Cause Cayman doesnt have any fugitives from foreign justice living openly here, right

  7. Diogenes says:

    If Crime Stoppers put a $10K bounty on his head, payable no questions asked. bet your bottom dollar he would be delivered up to a Birmingham police station!  Those boys would sell their mother for that cash, and I doubt he has that much loyalty in a foreign garrison!

  8. Anonymous says:

    What a load of bollocks.

  9. Anonymous says:

    why are these men walking around free ? does Cayman have any way of getting Honduras Athuorities to turn Richard Hurlston over to the Cayman Islands Police service ?

    • Anonymous says:

      You should check to see if a proper investigation was done and if Richard Hurlston wasn't wrongfully accused, before you judge him.

       

      There are not too many people that would abandone a million dollar home, a very successful business among other things he left behind.

       

      You people should ask yourself, why did he really leave Cayman.

      • Anonymous says:

        So why run? If he is innocent, stay and clear your name. He can still return and clear his name. Simple.

  10. Anonymous says:

    Birmingham where? USA or UK?

  11. Anonymous says:

    Good job! So online registries do work!! Now for the Sex Offender Registry DAVID BAINES!!

    • Anonymous says:

      the title of this article may as well read: "cops find out there are free and obvious resources available"…….

  12. t says:

    Congratulations Cns, Kelly must have read your article and has now left the Midland towns to the North Pole. Keep posting as much information as possible, and help those criminals!

    CNS: I think you missed the point of the article. His whereabouts was already posted on the internet for all to see.

    • SSM345 says:

      Allaboo aka Anthony Smith clearly doesn't have Facebook where he is located which is why he phoned home, I mean COP Baines.

    • Anonymous says:

      True, but now if he has actually read the article, which judging by the story itself is probably very unlikely, he will know that everyone including the police know his whereabouts and will maybe try and hide again.

    • Anonymous says:

      10.40-muppet, complete and utter muppet. Not only was he online,but it would appear certain people here know exactly where he is and failed to report it to the police. Maybe RCIPs should be doing some foresnic computer hacking, see who wrote him messages etc, prosecute them for aiding and abetting a wanted criminal..and North Pole, seriously? A criminal would want somewhere warm and cosy…

      • Anonymous says:

        yea and follow the money transfers or if he is using his debit card, who deposited the money into his account. he needs money to live there.

    • Anonymous says:

      haha, well obviously HE knew he was on the internet. Now he knows that police are actually capable of using computers in getting their jobs done!

  13. Anonymous says:

    Any photos of these 2 heroes RCIPS?

    Since they are being sought, their photos should be out there for all to see…