Rush hour armed robbery
(CNS): Updated Wednesday2:00pm — Masked robbers stole a money bag belonging to Tortuga Rum Company from a couple inside a car in the area of Courts Road, George Town, on Tuesday evening at about 6:15pm. Sources have told CNS that the bag contained approximately $3,100 in takings from the company. The 37-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman were trying to reverse the car after dropping off a friend at Springfield Courts before heading towards Tortuga to drop off the money bags, when the two masked men opened the doors and pointed a silver object at them that they believed was a gun, told them not to move and demanded cash.
Their friend, who was outside the car, realized what was happening and screamed. A neighbour called 911 and gave police the license number of the vehicle that the men left in, and they were last seen making off from the scene in what is believed to be a silver Nissan motor vehicle.
No-one was injured as a result of the incident. One of the men responsible is described as being around 6-foot in height, skinny build wearing a long-sleeved dark shirt and a black mask. The second was said to be 5-foot 8-inches in height, slim build, wearing a white t-shirt and a white mask.
Anyone who has any information should call George Town CID on 949 -4222, or Crime Stoppers 800-8477 (TIPS).
Category: Headline News
Lets stop blaming each other. We have a problem that needs fixing. RCIP needs to pick up everyone that looks like a gangbanger and search their house, their car and anyone they associate with. Bet you find all sorts of illegal stuff. We also need to speak up as a community. Hard to beleive that someone can be shot dead on a crowded dance floor and know one can identify the shooter.
Here’s another tip. Untie your dog from that tree in the back yard, give him a bath, feed him and care for him and he will protect you and your home from these thugs like no other (might be a good idea to have him neutered as well).
If they go around picking up people who fit a certain description then everyone will cry that the police force is stereotyping.
Now as for your point about speaking up, yes, it is quite fishy that there were literally over 100 witnesses but no one can offer a positive identification. However, judging from the disgusting photos that were being emailed around shortly thereafter, perhaps those in attendance weremore concerned with getting the best shot of the deceased.
Surprised that nobody made a comment on the fact that the RCIPS was given the license number of the car used in this crime. If this wasn’t a stolen car, later dropped somewhere… then I would say this is a pretty clear lead. Even if it was stolen, they should know within a few hours where this car is and be able to check for fingerprints.
That aside, hoping somebody reading this is in a position to do/suggestion/help with an idea about a way in which we all can help cut down on crime.
Clearly many posting here and most people living here are not happy about these crimes and I think that the suggestion below might assist the RCIPS in catching some of them.
RCIPS needs to get together with LIME and Digicel. Both have the ability to send out texts to all users, we’re always getting promo messages, SO NO EXCUSES from either of them – that this can’t be done.
So why can we not have broadbcast texts.
1) Someone commits and armed robbery or other serious crime.
2) RCIPS are called and take details.
3) Vital details are sent to RCIPS office who in turn contacts LIME/DIgicell
Text Reads:
RCIPS seek stolen car used in hit and run. License XXX-XXX
Please call 911 if seen and DO NOT ATTEMPT to stop this vehicle.
Suddendly the RCIPS have dozens, hundreds, perhaps thousands of extra eyes and ears on the ground.
Had such a system existed yesterday…. these guys might already be in jail.
So if you read this and you work at LIME, or Digicel … or RCIPS and this is something you agree with… feel free to kick the idea upstairs…
We can b*tch about crime… or … do something…
While I agree this would be a wonderful idea and should be strongly considered, Cayman politics might say otherwise.
In fact if you got that detailed of description out of the RCIPS (such as the License plate number) you would have hit the jackpot. Their descriptions are usually lacking anything that the public could help with. A tall dark/light skinned man was ….. is about the only thing you will get out of them.
However, if they would provide detailed descriptions and put your idea into effect it would absolutely help. There are enought expats here that the idea family members can protect all their family members is not quite true if RCIPS would reach out the way you suggest.
Let’s see taxi drivers carrying knives, a person shot dead with 150 people watching on, a gang fight with 40 people and no one arrested, a shooting at a police car driving buy, a day light robbery (Margaritaville) in the busiest part of George Town, robbery of several gas stations and a money transfer service, and NO arrests on any of these. Sounds like paradise right!
What ever happened to the 2.6mio "Slush Funds? I though that was to be handed out to the status grantees that have no place to stay and no jobs or is that what Ellio is paying the road workers with? What crime prevention measures are being put in place, especially for this season by the UDP. They were the ones campaigning on that strength. Why don’t they turn the wilderness Farm into a self sufficient maximum security prison, as that is where most of these arm robbers and killers should be put away for life. If they don’t produce, then they starve, simply as that. No more 3 meals a day, no more TV’s, No more AC, No more freeness. Make them real hard core prisoners. Get that prison warden from Arizona, New Mexici, Arkansas or wherever he’s from, that have those prisoners living in tents, bring him here. He is a real Prison warden. We however have to reinforce the Police force too with some real hardcore Policemen from America. Perhaps you may want to invite Mr. Dogg here to assist the local Police Force. UDP you are good at spending money, spend it on cleaning the Cayman Islands of these ridiculous criminals. Get rid of these M-13’s who are training our young Caymanian men, get rid of all the foreign criminal elements. Immigration you have your job to do too, all those out of work construction workers, get them off these Islands now.
OK people of Grand Cayman, it’s official!! We now have to do the same as our American friends, we now have to LOCK OUR DOORS AT ALL TIMES AND KEEP OUR WINDOWS UP AT ALL TIMES WHILE DRIVING IN THE DARK IN GRAND CAYMAN!! I didn’t know this tiny little 22 mile island could become so dangerous!! I don’t even know how it’s possible that this little little island could reach this danger level, and we’re so small?????????????? How can it be???????????
Also, a good safety tip: AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO THE CAR IN THE DARK LOCK YOUR DOORS RIGHT AWAY!!! Someone may be lurking watching nearby ready to pounce on you!! BE SMART!! BE VIGILANT!!
Remember in 2003 when the UDP government led by Mckeeva Bush granted 3000 Cayman status, many of which went to complete STRANGERS? We did not have any idea who was coming into our country & calling themselves Caymanians! It is a fact that because no background checks were done on these strangers before they became "Caymanians" that many questionable characters came to live amongst us! There is a lot of talk that there were criminals amongst those 3000 new Caymanians. The UDP & their supporters have constantly told the Cayman people to "get over" the status grants because they are in the past!! Well "the chickens are coming home to roost"! We are just now beginning to feel a small bit of the awful negative effects of those grants.
There are many reasons for the increase in crimes, not least of which is one: some of these strangers amongst us who we do not know, and two: the lack of jobs, a lot of which is caused by the same status grants!
The UDP may want us to believe that the 3000 status grants have nothing to do with the increase in crime, but the fact is that no matter how you look at it the main reason for this increase in crimes is because of the 3000 status grants, FOR MANY REASONS! AND WORSE IS YET TO COME, I’M AFRAID! If we can’t learn we must feel!
To: 12/02/2009 – 22:26
Rather than make general statements like "There is a lot of talk that there were criminals amongst those 3000 new Caymanians" which adds absolutely ZERO to the discussion, try submittiing an FOI (Freedom of Information) request to the police and immigration requesting a list of crimes committed by those individuals who were granted status in 2003.
FOI is here to provide info and power to the people. Wouldn’t it feel good to post some information here that is useful and factual?? Consider it. foi.gov.ky
I lived in the USA for 33 years. Never locked my doors on my house or car and never had an intruder or robbery.
What part of the USA is that ? Sounds like our islands several years ago. Is it in the country or the city? Sounds like a real safe place.
Our legislators better do their part and quickly enact a serious crime law that will put these scum bags away for good once caught and convicted.
Life without parole for robbery with any type of weapon and 50 years for any robbery without a weapon should do.
These animals cannot be rehabilitated and we will have to pay the financial price to keep them out of our communities.
And…no farming (weed growing) activities at Wilderness Farm while in Northward.
As long as the Police do not catch these two armed men – and it is possible that they are the same two men doing all these robberies – we won’t know who they are. They could anyone, including off-duty police officers.
Cliff notes of comments on this web site for every crime story:
1. "When will we Caymanians do something, talk, turn in the bad guys?"
2. "When will the police start doing their jobs?"
3. "When will the country have security cameras everywhere?"
4. "Why aren’t their more police from the UK/Canada/New Zealand/Australia/Los Angeles/New York etc."
5. "When we were kids, we used to rob people but we did so with paper ninja stars and personal insults. Thus it’s ok to rob people with guns. Just have to educate the criminals etc."
6. "Expats vs Caymanians etc."
7. "Why not have more welfare"
8. "Legalize everything"
9. "Crack down on everything"
10. "Make jail scarier"
OK now this list can be used for future stories as well.
Amirite?
You forgot
11) Poice need to stop giving speeding tickets and catching Drunk drivers and concentate on the "real criminals"
12) Turn to the power of prayer. The greatness of God will solve all problems.
13) (Ex-pat) "That’s it, I’m outta here."
14) (Caymanian) "Don’t let the arplane door hit you in the ass on the way out."
15) It was the PPM/UDP/your grandmother…
Good list though
When is the udp going to do something about this deadly spike in crime? They were ever so QUICK to cast blame on the previous government, now what the XXXX are they doing? Instead of sitting up in their ivory towers boasting about creating history in cabinet, & instead of their leader continually flying off island while claiming that the country is bankrupt, I suggest to these thick heads we call leaders to actually do as they preached in the past & sort out our crime problem! They are a bunch of hypocrites, now that the shoe is on the other foot they want to pass the buck! Well it ain’t going like that, the udp is to blame, & they MUST SOLVE THE PROBLEM!
I can not believe what has happened over the last year. I have gone from jogging alone in the dark to having to consider where to park my car to hopefully avoid being mugged or worse.
There is not statement from the government how they plan to address these issues and the police commissionar has not said much either. Clearly, the thugs are getting more feisty and care less. Nowadays, you almost don’t wonder IF your house will get broken into, you just wonder WHEN it will happen. How much more needs to happen before something is done.
I don’t care if the answer is bringing in more police from the outside or bringing in more Caymanians, as long as there are some results to show. Yes, I know people are going hungry, but I am not convinced that the hungry ones are the ones committing the crimes. I believe it is the ones that are fueling a drug habit or are just useless individuals in general.
If the public can help out, then that is nice, but the RCIP should not wait or rely on that. They must have a plan B one would hope……
The residents of this Island need to realise that there are many areas of the police department; traffic control is one of them, so please stop the negative comments about of police department, it won’t solve any of our present or future problems.
Instead of bad mouthing the police, call in a tip or two to Crime Stoppers and stop protecting these criminals. The persons commiting these crimes have mothers, fathers, wives and girlfriends who know what is going on and are protecting them from justice.
It is a disgrace!!!!!!!!!!
Status grants
The status grants has come back to haunt us. Tell me, which country opens its doors to less fortunate people than their own. When you accept the less fortunate and deprieved you are defintely lowering the standards in your country. This has caused the excess litter and numerous problems we are experiencing in this island. Remember they bring bad habits with them and we are responsible to work along with them in order to make the right change.
It is time for us as Caymanians, to wake up and understand, that until we take the bull by the horn, we are going to continue on that downward spiral. I wonder/wait to read/hear the voices of our representatives who remain very silent.
To the Caymanians who are involved in such unacceptable behaviour, you need to think seriously about what you are doing and how it is damaging the Cayman Islands. What is stolen doesn’t last, what you work for last longer. You succeed only through hard work. Work hard, earn more.
Cayman doen’t open it’s doors to anyone. UK does…..need I say more?
Keep out the scummy poor people, bring in the rich people who keep dropping money in the streets for people to pick up. Deserving people, that is. i.e. blood Caymanians. Good thinking…sigh…
I very much doubt this is to do with the status grants. The problem is caused by a small minority of "wanna-be gantas", which are probably made up of Expats and Caymanians. The problem is the police aren’t catching them, and if they are caught, the case often gets messed up in court and the criminals are set free. The criminals know this, so they fear the consequences less and less, and become more brazen with their attacks.
On a seperate note, I applaud the island wide cleanup initiative going on at the moment. The island is looking a lot cleaner now, and this will probably cause people to take more pride in their island.
The status grants did regrettably play a role, and continue to. Some of the recipients are engaged in criminal conduct and removing them is difficult. Many persons are here without means to support themselves and perhaps the majority of those seeking housing assistance etc. are "recent" Caymanians. Social services and education arestretched past breaking point (not that they have functioned properly for a generation anyway).The fact that some recipients were undeserving and others flaunted it in the face of their original hosts, created societal divides where they did not exist previously. Numerous Caymanians who would otherwise be employed now find themselves struggling. Numerous caymanians who were receiving training and advancement opportunities suddenly had them taken away.
And at the same time the status grants brought some good. But right now, today, things would likely be better many of them had been given.
"Which country opens its doors to less fortunate people than their own"??? Ummh, how about the US, Canada, Britain, Germany, etc… When you "accept the less fortunate and deprived" you are not "definitely lowering the standards in your country". You are providing people with an opportunity to better themselves and have a better life. Having done so, you are taking a risk that some of the ones that you accept will enter into criminal acts and the criminal world. I am glad to see that you addressed the small segment of Caymanian society that is also responsible for the problem; provides for a refreshingly "more" balanced view…
Something has to be done with low-income workers who are barely making-ends-meet
I respectfully disagree, the government is broke and should not have to subsidize the drug addicts of Dog City.
Although, with the multitude of churches on the island one would think there would be some philanthropic interest in creating a public food bank, assuming there is a genuine necessity.
Perhaps the time has come for the religious leadership of the island to pool resources and provide the light and direction which some folk may need.
I agree it would be nice to see the churches more actively involved, especially with the need for a food bank or even lunches. And there is a need. Unfortunately, most of the money collected is used for "God’s work" and goes down the bunny hole called organized religion.
Why do you assume that it is low-income workers and other poor people that are committing the crime? I have never heard of a good-hearted poor person picking up a gun and robbing somebody to buy food for their family.
It is much more likely that the criminals are gangsters and other hooligans who have never been up to any good. This has more to do with the drug trade and the availability of weapons than the recession.
A welfare system can be a good thing when it helps the young or disabled – as long as it is not be allowed to become a form of lifestyle for the idle.
The cops were nowhere when this occured, but they were out in abundance at 10:00 PM trying to earn their pay from drivers trying to get home from work at that hour of the night.
What a joke!
Is our Police force crime preventers or merely traffic wardens????
you know that if there weren’t so many drivers speeding or breaking the law then the police would have more time for other work.
The best way to get the police to have more time to catch the robbers would be to slow down, use your indicators and start obeying the highway code.
Then they can’t get money that way
The cops are not telephathic or psychics! I don’t think they can read a criminals mind to know where they are going to hit next. But it does seem like this area should be monitored or patroled more since it seems like alot of robberies have been happening in the Courts Road area. If I’m wrong about that, my sincere apologizes.
Dumb comment dude. You want cops on every street corner you better be saying yes to a 40% income tax.
The Cayman Islands is becoming a Police State!
CNS: Please leave the caps lock off. I might delete the next one if half of it it capitalised.
The cleanup in NYC started this way. Now Times Square looks like Disneyland. It started with enforcing petty, nit-picking, quality-of-life offence. Once those were out of the way, larger items could be addressed. Sure, plenty of people complained of being harassed or rousted but petty offences are still offences. These small offences are not victimless crimes, the honest citizens will tell you this. Life is a lot better without the petty offences that you often take for granted.
Thanks Frank… I would like to see you stopped and searched, bombarred by Police every second of the day… and see how that feels
We need a Police force, but we don’t need to see every day, officers intruding or prying into people lives. Maybe you, but I certainly wouldn’t want this for Cayman.
No matter how bad crime gets, they can focus on what needs to be dealt with utmost priority
When will we get the CCTV cameras at intersections like we have been promised for so long? The private sector (Camana Bay) could get it done cost effectively in a month. This is madness.
If crime is not brought under control, no invitation/incentive/roadshow will encourage further investment in these islands by locals or expats.
Each new "successful" crime only serves to embolden the position of the criminal element, demoralises the police and further intimidates the law abiding public.
Cayman has grown too fast too quickly and has not put in the necessary infrastucture along the way.
Those with options and independent means will depart these islands leaving others to try to fend off the scourge of crime with a faltering economy and dwindling resources.
It is quickly appearing as though Cayman’s best days are behind us.
When is all this going to stop. There must be something we are not doing or doing wrong. I agree with the RCIPS. Out there in the Caymanian public there must be honest person, who has heard, seen or is aware of a person or persons who are planning and executing these horrendous crimes. I feel that Commissioner Baines should ask for assistance from outside sources to stop the crime spree. As an older Caymanian, I remember when we could play outdoors until 10:00pm. I moved back home to my beloved isle Cayman because I got tired of having to see who was ringing your doorbell before opening your front door. Now, I have had to watch the exterior doors in my house being armed with burglar alarms. That is not supposed to happen in Cayman. That belongs in the large countries north and south of us. Honest, hard-working Caymanians are being held hostage in our own home. Residents in our islands can now say that we are all being held captive by terrorists who are even worst than Osama bin Laden and his al Quieda terrorists. Come on people, we all need to assist the police in this huge, dangerous task. Remember, although they are police officers, they are also human with families and loved ones of their own. They are not super heroes, they are just men and women doing a job. How can they serve and protect, when we cannot protect them.
Whilst I agree that this crime wave is a terrible blight to Cayman society you should be ashamed to liken these crimes to those of Osama Bin Laden who killed thousands of inocent people in the World Trade Centre. Compared to the massive loss of life and damage to the societies of the world after 911, what we have here in Cayman is nothing in comparison.
Shame on you.
Crime is crime, is one person’s life here less important than someone else’s just because they were killed along with a couple thousand other people?
There are people who know who is doing this and would call for them to come forward however in all likelyhood they are not online.
Do you not mean alleged to have killed thousands of people. I don’t recall his guilt being proven in a court of law.
13:31!!!! The reason why you cannot "recall his guilt being proven in a court of law" is because he has run away & hidden in the mountains like the COWARD that he is! But for you to question his guilt is amazing seeing as he claimed responsibility immediately after the 9/11 terror attacks! He has boasted of being the mastermind & financial backer behind the terrorist attack on the twin towers, so in my humble opinion I do notthink a court of law is necessary, do you? DUH!!!
That is what the UK Police want us to do….ask for more outside police. We need two things…First, public tips and information to go to the police and two, more Caymanian police. Let us get Derek Haines and the like back.
Please use Crimestoppers, Text a tip (or whatever it is called) and anonymous calls to police. If you are not a part of the solution you will be a part of the statistics.
You speak about the UK Police like it is some kind of malevolent collective that has a grand plan for Cayman. It doesn’t exist. This kind of lunatic conspiracy theory talk is unhelpful. Grow up!
To poster – Wed, 12/02/2009 – 05:23
Have you any idea what Al Queda do to their communities to deprive them of any kind of being?? think you might have missed the point there somewhat.
None-the-less, I do agree with your sentiment that these idiots who are carrying firearms (and if Baines is to be believed it is a small group which the RCIP know about… yeh right!!) are holding the Island to some form of ransom.
This will arrive at a point where our ‘Police Force’ will have to pull back on the number of ‘Traffic Ticketers’ and attempt to fight crime…. I ultimatetly think they will have to admit defeat and get some ‘experts’ in… hey, if they can clean up places like New York I am sure the ‘experts’ can arrive do likewise here.
Do not give up hope yet people… have hope that one day the RCIP will be brave enough to admit they do not have a soloution to this rise in horrible crime… and call in the guys who do.
when my husband was working and taking care of our family all was good then he got laid off only to find out that the expat could continue to work, what are we suppose to do? if he was to pick up a gun today and say he was going to rob someone i would say to him honey be carefull and please dont hurt anyone. we have to eat too. there are about 20,000 work permits issued here in these islands, want to solve the crimes give us caymanians jobs. we have a very very serious unemployment problem in our islands and untill that is fix there will be more crime and more crime. i am sure not only me thinks this way so goverment you have to do something now now, cant even say before its too late because its done too late but you can slow it down by giving us caymanians jobs. then why would i turn my husband in when i know he is only trying to feed his family and if he had a job he wouldnt be doing no crime. the people that is doing these crimes is no gangsters they are people who have to feed their familys because they cant get a job because the expats have all the jobs.
You are a crook and a low-life and will always be a crook and low-life whether your husband has a job or not.
Luckily there are very few Caymanians who think like you, but on the unfortunate side you probably have children and they will get their "values" from you.
If you harbour a wanted criminal then you are an accessory. What will your children eat when both their parents go to jail?
There are plenty of ways to get food without pointing a gun at someone. What about fishing? I hope that your husband never gets so desperate as to turn to crime.
You can’t be that badly off considering you still have internet access…..
"then why would i turn my husband in "
For the reward then you can feed your children with that.
or maybe he can join the police aren’t they hiring?
So it’s okay to rob someone if you lose your job!!?? What about the embezzlers? What’s their excuse? I guess that’s why they get off with only a slap on the wrist.
Just another person with the entitlement attitude.
Do you understand what that term means now???