Marathon man burgled despite securitymeasures

| 23/12/2014

(CNS): Cayman’s veteran marathon runner and local hero, Derek Haines, who raised over $1 million for Cayman Hospice by running six marathons around the world this year, became the victim of a burglary in South Sound yesterday lunchtime, along with at least two of his neighbours. Even though Haines has an alarm and other security measures, the burglars broke a window and, with the alarm sounding, helped themselves to a substantial sum of cash (a fund Haines was saving for a climbing trip with his daughter) and electronics, including laptops, iPads, phones and jewellery. However, Haines said his medals were safe and there was no cash in the house that had been raised for the Hospice.

A former chief superintendent with the RCIPS, Haines warned the community to be vigilant over the holidays and watch other people's properties because the burglars are brazen and do not care.

Despite the alarm and other security measures, the burglars seem undeterred and simply smashed the window right next to the security system sticker alerting would-be villains to the alarm, Haines told CNS. Nevertheless, at around 1:40 in the afternoon, with the alarms wailing, the culprits managed to make off with the loot from Haines’ home and at least two others in the neighbourhood.

Hoping that he might be able to recover some of the property stolen, some of which belongs to family members who are visiting home for the holidays, he asked people to contact the police if they are offered cheap electronics.

Haines said that following the incredible community effort to raise the cash for Cayman Hospice, it was a terrible shame that there are individuals who are preying on good people. 

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Kevin, thanks to you and family for choosing Cayman. I hope you will always have great experiences here (include the Sister Islands, they're very worth the visit).

    We trust that our Police Service is paying attention to public safety concerns and step up their game, and hopefully an improving economy will also help somewhat in curbing crime.

    As to the lazy wasters and career criminals, good always triumphs over evil and I hope their days are numbered.

  2. Anonymous says:

    Kevin, in all respects Cayman is still safer than our neighbours. However, as with any society, we have a small segment who would rather steal than work. Property crime has increased (burglaries, thefts) and there is a general feeling that crime detection and the resulting preparation of cases for prosecution is below the standard expected of a well-funded police service. As a result, criminal types seem to become more bold and opportunistic while the honest majority continue to be frustrated and concerned.

    Basically, the feeling of an increasing number of our population is that our Royal Cayman Islands Police Service is not delivering value for money. In a business context that may not promote as much concern as it does from a public safety perspective.

     

    • Kevin says:

      Thank you for the reply! We are coming back to Grand Cayman in June, and I still am interested in perhaps buying there at some point. Regardless of whether I do buy, we will continue to visit annually if possible and hopefully for longer periods.

      It should be interesting to see if the US/Cuba relations, along with the issues with the public perception of police involvement will drive the government to take notice if it has an adverse affect on overall tourism (non cruise related.) 

       

       

  3. Whodatis says:

    Maybe he can call CoP Baines and discuss the matter with him, after all he has put on record his steadfast support and faith in his capabilities just a few weeks ago.

    Happy no one was hurt, but the irony is too great to ignore.

    • Anonymous says:

      Typical WTF, lots of irony, no solution.

    • Anonymous says:

      you completely missed the most bitter irony:

      Derak Haineshas spent the last year raising one million dollars out the goodness of his heart to give to Cayman Hospice, to help look after the forgotten Cayman elderly and infirm relatives of the people who then rob him. No good deed goes unpunished, especially if the good deed is by f'ing driftwood.

      • Whodatis says:

        Well, aren't you just a lovely human being?

        Many people are being robbed my friend – not just heroic "f'ing driftwood" that have done a great thing for the community.

        Idiot.

  4. Kevin says:

    I keep seeing these posts and stories. I am from the US, but consider The Cayman Islands my other home, we love it so much, but we only are there for 7-10 days a year, so we're not well versed in the day-to-day stuff.

    Is crime there really starting to get out of control, or is it just more than usual? Cayman still has one of the lowest overall crime rates, I presume, and much less than in US cities. We live in small town US and our crime rates are very low, but we have the occasional robbery, etc.

    We are considering investing in a vacation home there so that we can spend more time in the islands, but the rise in crime concerns me. Should we be concerned? I'm interested in getting a more local perspective. 

    Thanks!

    • Lived here for 20 years says:

      I've lived in Cayman for 20 years and yes, the problem is we have a burglary problem.  The thieves are clever and know our routines and the police are NOT patroling the streets and YES! the police need to do better.

      We are only 60,000 people and there is an element that knows who these theives are so like Singapore and the famout New York City crime clean up, we need some LEADERS who can ENFORCE zero tolerance and clean up our streets.

      It also starts with better education, new vocational jobs, and immigration enforcement!  Clean up our streets…. we do not have that many.

  5. Anonymous says:

    I HOPE THAT MR. HAINES STILL HAVE FAITH IN RCIPS AND IT’S LEADERSHIP

    I hope this burglary is solved by Baines and his crew. Come on now Baines he stood up for you so call in Scotland Yard let’s get it solved

  6. Anonymous says:

    Would love to know what alarm company this is so I can make sure I don't have them!!

  7. Anonymous says:

    The stuff eventually leaves the island.How? It is impossible without someone  in power allowing it.

    • Anonymous says:

      It probably goes out on the same boats that bring the drugs and guns in.

  8. Anonymous says:

    These thugs must return Derek’s things!

    Period.

    Pass it on.

    Everybody knows who has done that.

    They will burn in hell if they don't.

  9. Anonymous says:

    Let's hope that Mr. Haines' publicly-displayed faith in RCIPS and Commissioner Baines will be justified and these perps will be caught and succcessfully prosecuted. No one should be subjected to the violation of a burglary, without the offenders suffering the consequences. However, hope Mr. Haines is not disappointed if no one is caught.

  10. Anonymous says:

    I'm tired of hearing: "we are asking the public to be vigilant".

    What does that mean exactly? What else can the public do? An alarm had been installed, it was sounding and they still robbed a few more houses!

    This is a Police problem. Period.

    • Anonymous says:

      It is not only a police problem, it is a society problem.

    • Anonymous says:

      It is a community problem, people know most of the criminal element in this small community and the veil of secrecy the exists here is clearly part of the problem.  Thieves fencing stolen goods for money or drugs there are many people who could help the police.

    • Anonymous says:

      No, my friend.  This is not a police problem.  It is a society problem.  This is what happens when kids are raised without manners, respect and discipline.  Many parents in our society, who are criminals themselves, are raising their children without basic human values and teaching them to prey on others.  They teach them to lies, steal, intimidate and kill.  Then society is afreaid to tell the police because they may be targeted and without evidence, the police cannot do much.  Even when they catch them, the courts go easy on them and when the courts go hard on them, their lawyers cry fould and say their human rights have been violated.  The easiest thing to do is to try to teach the kids of tomorrow (including those of today's criminals, basic human values, so that a decade from now we will have a better society.

    • Anonymous says:

      I heard, one of the houses that was broken into, the police came and said all was fine….and no robbery had taken place…the poor owner came home to findtheir back door broken into…..so the police aren't checking???? or just sat in their car and just drove off????  please explain that one!!!

    • Anonymous says:

      But the crazy thing is the police did go "after the house was robbed" and said everything was ok…..lmao

  11. Anonymous says:

    We use a central security company which bills us a hefty amount each year to monitor our alarm etc. The one time the alarm did go off they told us their system was down and therefore they did not know it was wailing through the neighborhood…we're still waiting for a refund.

    • Jonas Dwyer says:

      Mr. Haines being robbed is cause for a long litany of support and rightly so for the figure he is and what he has done for the community. However, what about the hundreds of other cCitizens, Tesidents and Visitors who have been robbed, who while not public figures are hard working people who are no less than Mr. Haines.

      We all need to not just express our concern (through this medium ) and ire because Haines was robbed, but because of all others that have been and are being robbed daily, and like Haines take it to the next level and get up of our backsides and protest visibly to the authorities that more has to be done.

      A safe and Blessed Christmas to all.

    • Anonymous says:

      Bet I know which company this is!!! Many people have had this happen to them who are using this company seems like it’s very convenient/ inside jobs to me my rottweilers do their job and does cost me and arm n a leg just lots of love and care. Bet they’ll think twice when a pair of 2 in teeth are buried in their asses.

  12. RP says:

    How pathethetic!  This man, to me, is one of the few who deserve to have "Honourable" in front of his name.  Running around the world at his age to raise 1m in  funds for charity and this is how we welcome him home? RCIP, please nab these scumbags.  Sentence these pricks to run from west bay to north side as many Marathons as it takes to raise 1m for charity.  

  13. Anonymous says:

    These worthless pieces of crap broke into my house and robbed me while I was at work yesterday. Obviously they had been monitoring the movements in my area for a while. From here on out I am checking any suspect people/cars in my neighborhood. I am beyond fed up with this crap. I will get justice one way or the other. 

  14. Anonymous says:

    How can the alarm be sounding and the crooks break into two other homes? What happened to the security company's dispatched unit? Where were the police?  Presumably the homeowners can claim on the security company's insurance?  Obviously someone there dropped the ball?

    • Anonymous says:

      Dropped the ball? The ball in Cayman spends the majority of the time rolling around on the ground. Waiting for someone to pick it up.

  15. tootie says:

    When they catch  them, they should be made to apologize to Mr. Haines publicly, using Westar as the media so the whole island can see who they are. Them lock them up in solitary confirnement. Lowdown trash peoplel!

     

  16. Anonymous says:

    In broad daylight with the alarm wailing. Well I guess they werent worried about the police.

  17. Anonymous says:

    Robbing Derek's home is unspeakable act even for lowilife thugs.

  18. Anonymous says:

    finally it happens to the elite in south sound, may be something will now be done. 

    • Anonymous says:

      It happened a year ago as well, just because it is not reported does not mean it has not happened.

    • Anonymous says:

      I doubt it most are just f'ing driftwood down there

    • Are you kidding says:

      South Sound is like an ATM for the thieves on this island.

    • Jason says:

      Derek haines is not what you call "the Elite", he is a simple and authentic person.

  19. Anonymous says:

    Stiffer penalties for crime, and if sent to prison the family has to look after you. You steal and get 5 years, during those five years you starve unless someone from your family brings you food – every day! For five years- clothes, toiletries, everything you get is provided by your family. You'd wear your family out pretty fast and I'd bet they'd take more interest in keeping their youth on the straight and narrow!

  20. Anonymous says:

    When you factor in what those at "the top" of society are getting away with, what do you expect from the lower ebbs of society? 

  21. Anonymous says:

    good watch dogs are more maintenance but better deterrents than any alarm system! and the way these crimes are happening every home needs at least 3 or more.

    • Anonymous says:

      I agree with you. I have three German Shepards now and will be getting another one January. sure, my salary goes towards ensuring they remain healthy and happy, but atleast I have peace of mind that I will have warning before the scum comes crawling in.

      If they do, I will not be calling off my dogs until the cops arrive to pick up what is left.

  22. Anonymous says:

    So sorry to hear about this Mr. Haines.  Please set up a donation account where we can donate to you for you and your daughter's climbing trip funds that you were saving up for that the burglars stole from you.  I'm so sorry this has happened to you.  I hope the burglars will be caught and sentenced.  God Bless You Sir.

  23. Anonymous says:

    CCTV footage should assist with this investigation. Just look out for a tinted Honda CIVIC…Oh Wait!!! Do we have CCTV?? Are any of them working?? I would really like to know, since I’m helping to pay for them.

  24. Anonymous says:

    Said it before, get a couple of dogs.

  25. Anonymous says:

    Got great sympathy with anyone hit like this but a decent wall safe costs $200-$300. We've got one – anything like cash, our passports, spare car keys and everything else small/valuable goes in there so they can't easily be lifted. To steal the safe and it's contents you'd need to break the wall down.

    But three burglaries in neighbouring properties? That sounds organised. I wonder if they'd all used the same security company?

     

    • Anonymous says:

      while this makes sense, i doubt every night before you go to sleep you're putting all your cameras, phones, electronics in your safe. may just be better to get insurance..

      • Anonymous says:

        Things we regard as valuable are kept locked up and only taken out when we need them. They then stay with us and go back in the safe when they're no longer required. It's little more than the same precautions you'd take in a hotel room. We always did that in the crime-ridden dump where I worked before so it's no real hardship but it is a very sad reflection on society when you have to do it.

        As for our insurance? What we have may (and reading the contract you sometimes wonder about that) replace actual goods stolen but it doesn't cover cash or valuables unless they are locked away nor does it cover the hassle of recovering material stored on stolen electronic devices. 

         

        • Anonymous says:

          The other thing I bet your insurance won't cover is the knock on effect of the potential misuse of things that were stolen. As one example – spare car keys. After burglars took those we got hit with a bill for over $1000 to replace the electronic keys and re-program the security system to make the car secure again and we had to pay that. Lesson learned – they should have been locked away. Buy a wall safe.  

  26. Anonymous says:

    In this say and age you just CANNOT keep cash in your house like that!!!!!

  27. Anonymous says:

    This country is LOST . But what do you expect with "no comment" leaders.

    • Anonymous says:

      What do you mean by "no comment"? Alden says he's "chillin" for the holidays. That's a comment.

  28. Anonymous says:



    These worthless good for nothing low life scum who are wrecking the island need to be dealt with properly.

  29. Michel says:

    What a shame ! These Tugs will stop at nothing. Someone Please turn those culprits in and earn extra Cash for the New Year from a possible Reward. No worries if there isno room is @ Northward keep them at Central lock up or West Bay lockup for over the Holiday and that goes for the recent burglars also in the many recent robberies. Michel

  30. Anonymous says:

    Hope these brazen culprits are caught and dealt with harshly. I know times are rough for a lot of people but it isn't those people who are stealing, it is the punks who refuse to try to get a job and actually work for a living. They broke into my house and stole my children's piggy banks with their savings. They had been saving a long time only for it to be taken in one brief moment by heartless thugs.

  31. Anonymous says:

    Im so sorry to hear that, you have done a lot of good but I guess no one is safe. Do you use a local security company for the alarms? did they called the police? Im asking because we use one and would ike to know if they are effective at all.

    • Anonymous says:

      I would definitely like to know what security system was used and if it was properly activated. The companies all charge quite a pretty penny it's almost theft itself! If they don't work, what's the use!?

    • Sir Henry Morgan says:

      Adopt a dog from the humane society.

  32. Anonymous Police says:

    Look at the mess this place is in and yet some still supporting this dreamer and his elves at the helm of the RCIPS All I want for Christmas is Baines and his hoard to go home! The RCIPS is a national disgrace.

    • Anonymous says:

      Its your parenting skills that suck.

       You did not teach your children propely.

      The only police that need to go are the ones from  jamaica

      In Jamaica They have there own ideas of right from wrong there culture is differant than that of caymanians even though alot of you act like them, you are not.

      Your mother is the Queen of England not Queen of the ghetto.

      The british police that are here operate in the british manner very well thought out and proper

      The problem with policing occours when the orders are given they are not followed in the itended manner thus the results are not achieved.

      I will make this very easy to understand when the chief of poice says clean up a part of town he does not mean get a mop and broom.

      He means for the officers to make arrests.  

       

       

      • Anonymous says:

        @18;59 THANKS for your summary and you are the first person to state what I have been saying, an dit felt like I was alone, so thank you for keeping it simple for all

      • Anonymous says:

        I hope those of our bredren from Jamaica who got caught up in the generalization grossly handled by those at the forefront of “Ossiegate” have taken note of this post in this story which is not handled by a marketer and friends.
        Although you might identify with the one person caĺled “Driftwood” in one context and in one fit of rage please note that as a group of people to those who are bent on making strife and community discord your :culture is different from that in Cayman. Never mind that those of us from here or have truly adopted this as their home see the many similarities and many positive contributions made to “our” community. Be discerning. Not everyone is out for others. Many r about self.

      • Anonymous says:

        "The british police that are here operate in the british manner very well thought out and proper"

        Are you saying he criminals dont play fair?

        Gee I am sorry.

      • Anonymous says:

        What a load of bullshit / hog wash

    • Anonymous says:

      Revert to default position:-

      If in doubt  – blame the police! After all the current social and economic situation that has forced these guys to go and commit burglary is their fault! Also societies dependants on drugs is their fault as is the proliferation of Internet crime, probably poverty, war and all immigration issues. Oh, nearly forgot all the traffic problems on the road here – that's definately the polices fault! 

      Now sit back down in your comfy armchair and pass judgement on someone else misfortune – and don't forget to blame the police! 

  33. Anonymouss says:

    Cayman needs to open up a prisoner housing program in Cuba to send these dispicable sumbags to, and let Castro keep the keys.