Five break-ins during overnight crime spree

| 05/08/2009

(CNS): Police said today that there were five break-ins in the George Town area between midnight and 7 am on Tuesday morning (4 August). According to the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service (RCIPS) officers responded to five different incidents with the first occurring at Don Fosters Dive Centre, South Church Street at 12.30am. The alarm was activated and officers found the premises had been entered and ransacked. Shortly after at 12.40am, officers responded to a call from a woman in Summit Crescent who reported she had heard noises in her house and found her back door open and her purse upside down.

The third break in was reported at 1.35am, when a woman reported the rear window of Howell ShoeShop on Shedden Road missing. Police said it was unclear however if entry had actually been gained into the building. Then at 2am officers were alerted to a break-in at Barnett Music Store and the Wendy’s offices on Huldah Avenue. Entry had been gained through the upstairs front door and both the offices and music store had been searched.

Detectives from George Town CID said they are investigating all the apparent offences and call for anyone with information to come forward. “Officers will be targeting patrols based on crime-pattern analysis, road blocks will continue as part of efforts to disrupt criminal’s movements around the Island and known burglars will be targeted by officers,” the police stated.

The RCIPS is urging residents and business owners to assist in the fight against burglary by taking extra care and security and to note of the advice and guidance on the RCIPS website at www.rcips.ky/household_and_property.htm

Polcie adviced residents to ensure doors and windows are kept locked and secure – even if you are just popping out for a few minutes; to use window stoppers from hardware stores so even if the lock is breached, the window or sliding door cannot be slid back; don’t leave a spare key hidden under a mat or plant pot and to make sure keys are kept out of reach of windows and doors.

Police asked the public to look out for neighbours and it you notice something suspicious to call the police: to keep valuable items out of view and draw curtains or close blinds; make sure gardening equipment is secure and not left lying around and let criminals know you have taken precautions – if you have an alarm put the box or sticker on show and if you have a dog put up a warning sign.

Police also advised people to mark goods with a PO Box so that if they are stolen and recovered they can be easily identified and to record all serial numbers of items in case they are stolen as well as take photographs of items of high or sentimental value.

When it come to business security police advise owners to fit alarms and consider installing CCTV; to review security and cash handling procedures; train staff in security measures and look for security weak points.

Anyone with information about crime taking place in the Cayman Islands should contact their local police station or Crime Stoppers on 800-8477 (TIPS). All persons calling Crime Stoppers remain anonymous, and are eligible for a reward of up to $1000, should their information lead to an arrest or recovery of property/drugs.

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  1. Anonymous says:

    "We have to think aobut why these people are stealing in the first place."

    Too lazy to get jobs.  I agree – shoot them.

  2. Anonymous says:

    "If any of the people writing comments below call themselves Christians, they are not. Killing and Violence is not part of Christian teachings, Jesus taught peace love and understanding, not violence, bitterness and judgement of others."

    I don’t call myself that.  I treat everyone with the greatest of respect, seriously, right up until they break into my house to rob me.  At that point I drop the nice guy routine and unleash what you would call "hell" on the moron who wanted to make a victim out of me.  If he lives through the experience, he can apologise.

    Tolerating being a victim of crime because of a religious philosophy will not solve the underlying problem – it just makes you a more attractive victim.  I’m sure they would rather try your house than mine, because they’ll most likely not make it out of mine alive.

  3. Anonymous says:

    All this talk of needing guns to retaliate, and wanting to kill these people is not the answer! We have to think aobut why these people are stealing in the first place.

    I agree if my place was broken into I would be very angry, but possessing a firearm and shooting this person dead for stealing my handbag or TV, is not a just action. This person deserves jail time or a fine, but not death or wounding.

    If any of the people writing comments below call themselves Christians, they are not. Killing and Violence is not part of Christian teachings, Jesus taught peace love and understanding, not violence, bitterness and judgement of others.

  4. noname says:

    Guess who is coming to dinner natti dread Locks What a state we in na dis ya Cuntry and no relief in sight either

  5. Anonymous says:

    Do whatever you have to do to protect your life, your family and your business.  Take them out, they have no business breaking into your homes, shops or place of business.

    Take them mother ****** OUT

  6. Anonymous says:

    "Why are you surprised.  Yet another example of why we need to get the helicopter here, shootings are also weekly event now, and this just leads to more fear of crime in an area that is safe.  We need to be encouraging tourism – and the recent headlines are not going to do that.    Five crimes in one night do not make me feel safe with police obvioulsy one step behind. "

    What is a guy in a helicopter going to do about a criminal that is breaking into my house?  I need to be able to shoot him.

    Richard Wadd:  I hear you man, but I’d rather be tried 12 than carried by 6.  When the police prove incapable of maintaining law and order we have to establish peace and safety ourselves, for us and our families.  Since there is no fear on the part of the criminals of the police or the justice system, we need to give them fear that they’ll have their guts blown out breaking into the wrong house.

    Let’s get the bars on the windows, barbed wire on the fences, and guns in our nightstands. 

    Tourists: It was nice while it lasted.  Send a postcard from wherever you pick for your future vacations.

    Expats:  No doubt if you stay you will build a gated community with armed guards.   Can we move in too?

  7. Anonymous says:

     If you think for one instance the helicopter is going speed up their response time Hahahahaha You obviously do not understand the problem.

  8. Anonymous says:

    Why are you surprised.  Yet another example of why we need to get the helicopter here, shootings are also weekly event now, and this just leads to more fear of crime in an area that is safe.  We need to be encouraging tourism – and the recent headlines are not going to do that.    Five crimes in one night do not make me feel safe with police obvioulsy one step behind. 

  9. Richard Wadd says:

     Firearms for ‘Home defence’ are illegal. Even IF you had a ‘Licensed (Legal) firearm’, if you were to use it in the defence of yourself, your family, or your property, you would be imprisoned, of that you can be assured !

    Under the Law, the Criminal has ALL RIGHTS. The Law says, if a person attacks you, you are to call the police. 

    Victim: " ……… 911? There are armed criminals breaking into my home (at night) and my family are terrified., please send HELP!"

    911:   ‘Please askthe attackers to wait until the Police arrive, as they are currently in (where-ever) attending to another matter, and won’t be available for another ? hours ….  sir, sir, is there anyone still on the line?’

    Sounds like a well-thought-out piece of legislation, in order to protect the welfare of the criminals.

     

     

  10. We was robbed! says:

    Needless to say, the police have also failed to report on the spate of burglaries in Industrial Park last week.  My buisness was robbed as well as a number of others in the area.  If the true statistics ever came out – I think the island would be shocked.  This is starting to get way out of hand.  As far as recovering anything – I was told by people forget it, it’s probably on a plane or boat out of here.  And to who ever broken in – Your robbing the poor, how can we give you a job if I have to now go and replace all the stuff you stole?

  11. Anonymous says:

     Bro you ain’t going get no Firearm that is is for the rich or the connected and now with 354 PO LICE officers the highest per capita in the world FOR get  About It They are trying to take away the legal ones now. More Police more Crime and the more law you have the less justice

  12. Richard Wadd says:

     Are we as a society going to wait until anarchy takes root BEFORE we attempt to retake control of our islands from these criminal elements?

    It is frighteningly obvious, that Law and Order has been displaced in the persuit of the almighty dollar, NOT because of the criminals, but as a result of the Greed that has saturated the Justice system !

    Lawyers and Law firms PROFIT (almost immorally), from going to court to defend criminals (at our expense no less), and as the Legal system works earnestly in favour of the ‘Criminals’ Rights’, it is WE, the Law abiding, hard working VICTIMS that are punished (daily) for these Criminals.

    Are we to sit back and allow our society ti decend into anarchy? Are we going to wait until the ‘Vigilante’ is the only hope for Justice? 

    To the Govt: ‘You have been Voted in to MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE for the people of this country. Instead of wasting time and effort on trivialities, spend some time on overhauling the Laws that govern Crime and Punishment. Take a leaf out of the book of the ‘Singapore Model’. To build a country you must protect the rights of LAW ABIDING CITIZENS.

    Bring back the Whip, and let’s drive fear into the heart of crime in Cayman, and raise the moral of our people. If we don’t, the next victim might be YOU !

    • Anonymous says:

      ummm you might want to check the point about lawyers, legal aid is granted for very limited offences, and even when it is, its a low hourly rate and you get paid months later, if you get paid at all. So don’t you worry about Lawyers getting paid – you need to read about the Legal Aid crisis – cos the’y not getting paid.

      Also its easy for you to sit in your box, but you never know when you, your family, your children or friends get arrested, for something you didn’t do. IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. Legal Aid does not cover police station work, so then when a lawyer comes to help you, and you’re begging for bail and someone to just help and believe you – its off their own back. THEY GET NO MONEY and i’m telling you they can save your liberty and help ensure justice, cos well we all know how good the police are at doing that….!!!

      Its not immoral in representing ‘criminals’, open your mind, if justice is served fairly then that is in the interests of everyone – how else are you to be democratic society?! Properly convicted people means less appeals, the right person being punished and innocent people not being incarcerated. 

      If there is enough evidence and the case is prepared properly there is nothing any lawyer can do to ‘get criminals off’ but because things aren’t done like that here, there are more aquittals than perhaps the public would like. 

      Finally i think its about time that it was made public that of the few lawyers that do do criminal work, a lot of their case load is pro-bono, they do it for free and give back to the community. Crime only perhaps pays for the criminals, not for the Lawyers.

       

  13. Anonymous says:

    Does anyone know what the requirements are to get a permit to possess a firearm in Cayman?  It could be a handgun or a shotgun, as either are very efficient at home defence.

  14. Anonymous says:

    Yup, our islands are crime free.

  15. Anonymous says:

    Better still, put bars on your windows.  Times have changed.