Cops release CCTV footage of recent armed robbers
(CNS): The RCIPS has released video footage showing two of the recent armed robberies that took place in Grand Cayman over the last few days. Police hope that pictures from the security CCTV cameras, which caught the villains in the act, may help the public recognise the robbers, despite the fact that their faces are covered with hoods, hats and T-shirts. The tape includes Monday night’s (7 June) armed robbery at the Burger King on the waterfront in George Town by three young men, in which one of the employees was hit in the head with the a gun, and the robbery at the ESSO on West Bay Road (Seven Mile Beach) in the early hours of Monday morning by a man and a woman.
The tape can be viewed on the News 27 website (see below). Chief Superintendent John Jones said the footage may help people identify the criminals as someone my recognise the way people are dressed or the way they move.
Anyone with information or who may recognise the robbers is asked to call George Town Police station 949-4222 or crime stoppers at 800-8477.
Category: Headline News
Nicky, I know you are pacifistic, and understandably concerned by the concept of fighting back. As I clearly stated, reasonable force in self defence should be completely expected. How far a step away were we from one of those thugs deciding since he was already there, and the lady was alone, he might just have his jollys with her… He had no problem hitting her. Is it ok to fight back?
It is not the few hundred dollars I am protecting. It is the right to live and work safely and without the expectation or possibility of my place of work or my home, my family or my friends being victimised and possibly worse.
Should we sit back and hope that all they are there for is a couple dollars and that they will quietly walk out?
Or is it fair to assume that if threatened, we have the right to put up a reasonable fight?
I will let the public vote on this, but I remain of the same view – I will fight back, unless, of course, as you point out, another’s life may be in danger. Then, maybe we will both fight back…
Trust me, they do not expect you to fight back. They will be as shocked and caught off guard at that. In most cases, they have probably never fired a gun, and if they have, it is still a lot harder to hit someone than you might think.
These business places have Insurance, Please dont fight back and get killed for this.
Not necessarily pacificist, but there is a high likelyhood of a defender being injured by their own self-defense weapon in a confrontation. No, I don’t have the stats to back this up, this is just anecdotal information I picked up growing up in NY. Don’t worry, my 9-iron is still in place next to my front door and I’m willing to take my chances.
It’s a pity the staff couldn’t have somehow seen the danger that lay ahead, and had hot oil ready and waiting to throw on them! I bet we would have known who they are within half an hour. They would have had to go to the hospital. The laws of this land need to be amended to allow for people to defend themselves on their own premises/place of employment so that we can show no mercy on the wicked! This will make the crimes more violent for a time, but something has to stop these scumbags.
Somebody out there – a mother, a sibling, a girlfriend, a grandmother, a friend, a "bredren", a "sistren", a best friend – knows who these people are. That orange shirt is a dead giveaway! Shame on you for not doing something about this situation! I hope you don’t have kids, because you are doing them especially a great disservice, and cementing their futures into a life of crime and doom.
These boys did NOT have to hit the woman and I wish they had gotten hurt when they did so! Cha!
Law or no law – I will protect my friends, family and employees if any of these scumbags comes to my door. Bobby Baseball Bat is standing to attention behind the counter – and he is dieing to play with Harry the Head.
I doubt very much a court would convict ANYONE of reasonable defensive measures. Just remember, you can only get yourself out of a position of danger – as tempting as it may be to continue thrashing these yobs, you have to stop.
Of course, there is always the possibility they will run into a door 10 times before falling to the ground 8 more… Even the police know this happens…
We’re getting more and more of these types of comments. My own view is that the first person who actually does actually pick up a baseball bat when faced with an armed robber is more likely to end up dead than scare off the robber. And if there are others present their lives will be at risk also. Is a few hundred dollars really worth that?
The right to self-defense permits a person to use reasonable force to:
1. defend himself from attack
2. prevent an attack on another person
3. defend his property
At the RCIPS press conference yesterday (June 10, 2010), Mr. Austin Harris asked the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Baines about the RCIPS policy on self defense. The Commissioner’s response was and I paraphrase: people have a right to self-defense and where persons use reasonable force in defending themselves orothers against unlawful acts, the RCIPS will support the victim (person acting in self-defense). Also, see: http://www.rcips.ky/faq.htm#s
Section 18(1)(a) of the Firearms Law (2008 Revision) says that a person may use a legally possessed firearm: “…in the lawful protection of his person or property or of the person or property of some other person" Source: http://www.gazettes.gov.ky/pls/portal30/docs/Folder/SITE83/GAZETTES/GS2008/GS352008.PDF
Safety is not something which can be passed on to our children physiologically. Safety is the outcome of your efforts to prevent and oppose unlawful acts (robberies, etc…), including by force if necessary.
Thanks for the update Dennie! Very good to know…
I have to say that while these may not be the best quality they are better than nothing – I would not have known what the guys were wearing if I hadn’t seen the visual and if I knew someone who had an orange top with that design I would certainly have bells ringing in my head.
The Esso one may not be brilliant and I couldn’t pick the guy out on the street but I have a much better idea of his build and appearance and I am quite sure that if I did know him and the girl I would have recognised them in a second.
So not good enough for a stranger to identify them on the street but I bet it is plenty good enough for someone who knows them. If it makes someone say "Hey isn’t that….?" , and report them then that will do….without even a bad quality clip we wouldn’t even have that.
Cayman does not need CCTV, a helicopter, or more police cars.
If Cayman wants to control crime, it needs nothing more than cops on the beat. Cops patrolling on foot.
CCTV can do nothing to stop crime.At most, it can only photograph masked or disguised criminals in the act. In other words, after the crime. Virtually useless.
The helicopter is even more useless. What is supposed to happen when a crime is reported? The crew must be assembled quickly, the helicopter moved out of its hangar, and then take off.
What is the criminal doing during all that time?
Has anyone ever done a cost-benefit analysis of a police helicopter on the Cayman Islands? If not, it is not too late.
What we need is armed cops walking beats with radio communications, and a few patrol cars to assist them if necessary.
That is the only way to stop crime
So then you are saing that police patrolling the streets should just run them down on foot, and catch them, and then do what if they ever catch them. Spray their guns with peper spray.
No, police need to keep these robbers from doing the street business surveliance. Police need to stop question loiters by these business premises, Are you going into the gas station for something, you waiting on someone? Are you working No, No, No!! No, to all questons then if I come back and see you here I will give you a job at the police station. Now come on police , do your jobs.
Just a few days ago by the gas station on Eastern Avenue while talking to a Jamaian National, I witnessed another Jamican national ask him if he had a ten dollar he could give him to buy something to eat.
The man gave it to him, but as he left he commented.that, he dont know why this man wont go home his yard, he not working. I questioned, well how dose he pay rent. The reply was that he keeps his clothes at a friends house down in the swamp area and sleeps outside under a tree in a chair.
Where is Jeannie Lewis, OC. and their five 0 clock early morning wake up crew.
Come on everyone! For those of you who truly watch the international news and you see criminals being caught in the act on CCTV I can guarantee you 8 out of 10 times one can hardly recognize who the individual is but yet the crime is sometimes solved.
Do you know why? People speak up there is always something distinctive about the individual, clothing, BK event, body movement, and in the case of the Esso station either one of those guys should be able to positively identify the man at least. Problem is people are afraid! Afraid for their lives, afraid to say anything! Those young men their friends need to step up and speak out. Same with the other two at the Esso. I am sure someone seen those persons dressed in those same clothes somewhere that night.
Anyway you know best why you keep quiet I just trust they do not turn on you!
Lol at people talking about the quality. If you were familiar with CCTV, you’d know that is the quality of ALL OF THEM! Every part of the world!
Why is fingers only pointing to Caymanians, and Jamaicans? Come on folks lets get smart, with all the various securitys, cleaners cashiers, and what have you, you have to start thinking on a larger scale. I knew of some one whose husband was having an affair and like most women do they stary checking their husbands clothing for hints of proof. This brilliant lady from the East decided that she would instead check her husbands socks for carpet hairs. Guess what, on getting a hint on the person she went to the house, found not only her husband there but also the Carpet on the floor was the same colour blue as what the carpet hairs that she found o0n her husbands socks. Come on everybody lets start doing something something smart.
Smart girl from the East.
Worthless hounds.
The CCTV’s where I work are so incredible you can count how many freckles on someone’s face. Not sure how expensive they are, but quality tv’s are out there and would make identifying people so much easier.
Cheap, cheap, cheap. They got inurance on every thing. why worry.
Talk about one stupid female robber when it comes to covering her face. Maybe she didn’t care because she probably caught the flight the next day.
This is why some of our crimes are unsolved – yes, they catch the flight the next day. Immigration and Customs needs to be more vigilant in their exiting.
Oh Lawd it’s Bobby, and Whitney forgot to take off her blasted shower cap! Pretty boy and ghetto queen… SMH
FINALLY! I have to commend the RCIPS for releasing this footage, regardless of its quality.
NOW, please release the footage from the bank robbery you never solved that happened in Savannah several months ago. Do the RIGHT thing so Joe Public can help, regardlesss who might have been caught on the camera.
What the hell did he hit the girl for? Coward, hope he gets his face smashed in everyday for the rest of his life.
Well straight up my first take: Burger King Robbers – young Caymanian men. Esso station: Non-Caymanian – certainly the male.
There is no further proof needed that crimes – major crimes, are being committed by foreign nationals in this country.
That lady at BK must have been so terrified. To have been hit for no apparent reason (because there is no sound), has only scarred her much more.
Thanks for releasing the footage. I truly pray someone will recognize these criminals and pass information onto police.
The days when we could look at someone and say if they were a Caymanian are gone my friend. The total number of people given Caymanian Status as dependents of the 3000 status grants in 2003 now exceed 10,000.
My wife would always marvel at how I could look at strangers in Miami airport and know that they were headed for Cayman Airways because they had that "Caymanian" look about them.
I suppose that I am incorrect is saying that we cannot still look at people and say that they are Caymanian. What we can no longer do is look at people and say that they are NOT Caymanian. Some of them are more Caymanian than my wife because she can still have her status revoked after living here for more than 30 years.
Some of the "new" Caymanians can commit armed robbery the first day they set foot on our soil and there is no provision in the law to send them home. We are stuck with them for life.
There is provision in the law for Cabinet to revoke them. I believe PPM made changes to the law to allow that to happen and if any of those shown on the video fottage are identified as status holders and are charged and convicted of these crimes they should have it revoked.
Havent you heard that we no longer refer to the word "Caymanian" but instead you say "COUNTRY OF ORIGN". With all the new Caymanians you dont want to do a head count on that word "Caymanian".
Looking at the footage of the gas station robbery should make a good case for a fingerprint database….looks like Bony and Clyde did not wear any gloves and Clyde did not try to hide her face until the robbery was in action, its like they want to be caught…..Really how hard is it to have a national ID with finger prints?….if you have nothing to hide why have a problem with a finger print…..shakes head in sadness….
I saw what you did. Why is it the government do not want to introduce he fngerpriting. Are they afraid of something. CNS please poll this one.
I agree, but at the same time bring in mandatory monthly drug tests for all civil servants. If you’ve got nohing to hide why the problem.
Fire any one ppositive, it would soon sort out the large numbers of CS.
And why stop with expat fingerprinting, finger print everyone. Weren’t the BK, women beaters Caymanian?
To "Caymanian at Heart" – can’t you be a little more positive??
I think the CCTV footage give us a great insight to what happened, admittedly you cannot see faces as they are covered but you get a good feel for who the BK scum are and I am sure if you saw that awful orange top either before or after this incident you would remember it?? And somebody must recognise the two scumbags from the Esso from their size and mannerisms??
Come on Cayman, the RCIP are not going to solve these crimes, we are on our own with this and somebody must be hungry for that $10,000 crimestopper reward!!
I agree it’s a great step, but I am wondering if this can hold up as evidence in the courts?
Does anyone know?
From what I gather the cops usually know who has committed the crime, but they need evidence to convict. Will this grainy footage hold up in court?
This is why finger printing is so important. I couldn’t help but notice that the perf in the Esso robery left the drink on the counter that he got himself from the freezer. It dont look like he was wearing gloves either. Had the Visa/workpermit had a mandatory finger print attached tothe process, this would be easy to solve. and dont ask if it was obvious that these perfs were imported.
Actually you’ll catch more by finger printing the local population
Maybe. But just maybe if the xpat knows well that their fingerprint is on file they may not even attempt to rob like they did in the video.
What on earth is a Perf? If you’re going to try and quote your knowledge from watching CSI at least get it right. It’s Perp -short for Perpetrator
I agree that there should be obligatory finger printing for everybody entering these shores, but no point limiting it to foreigners when nearly all crimes are committed by Caymanians.
These ‘Perps’ look Jamaican but we all know they are in the minority in the Caymanian criminal circles.
Okprofessor, thanks for the typo correction, I am really happy that you are intelligent enough to understand what I was saying. I guess the other readers owe you a debt of gratitude too. You alluded to the fact that Jamaicans are in the minority in crime in Cayman but don’t you think that they should not be doing any. Just saying!!
So you are saying it is ok for Caymanians to commit crimes because it is Cayman, but not ok for Jamaicans?
You and your idiot friends are the reason why this island has gone down the toilet so quickly. It is NOT ok to commit these crimes, regardless of where you come from. Being Caymanian does not entitle you to take things that do not belong to you. It is still theft whichever way you put it.
You bring shame on your nation and single handedly ruin the reputation of all Caymanians. If you wasted less brain cells thinking of ridiculous bigoted comments and saved the couple of brain cells you have remaining, for being a better person, you would agree.
What I was mearly saying is that if you are a guest in someone’s else country you should not be comitting any crimes. No, I am not saying its ok for Caymanians to be doing any crime. Wonder if what you are suggesting is to the contrary?
Nearly all crimes are committed by Caymanians? I been here long enough to know that crime was introduced to Caymanians by Jamaicans. Weed, guns, robbery
Any government that delays to fingerprint everyone is to be held in much suspicion, because there is no good reason for delaying these kinds of exercise. The robber actually had the galls to help himself to a soft drink from the cooler take a sip, and rest it on the counter! No man ! they do not take our Police, our Premier, our RCIP commissioner nor the governor serious! These are a brazen pair! They must be charged with assault and battery for slapping the girl too OK Justice Smellie?, don’t forget that!
The government should be Held in suspicion because they were elected to fight crime among other things and we support them in their efforts. However, a few directives are thrown at the commissioner and RCIP while the criminals plan their next move. It is of no effect, Now they are making fun and mascot of the RCVIP and the comissioner of Police! we can not tolerate this in our society.
Who is using these criminals to terrorize the society then if the government is reluctant to take their fingerprints and more so take fingerprints of everyone living and being imported into the country! Every Caymanian and Every X-pat, every civil servant, every MLA including the governor, no one is exempt.
DON’T TELL ME SOME BIG SHOT CROOKS THINK THEY ARE TOO HIGH AND MIGHTY TO GET FINGERPRINTED BECAUSE THEY SHOULD BE THE FIRST ONES! are they holding up the process? then whose money is paying for much of this crime committed here ? Is that’s the reason it can never be resolved!
Watching these videos, all I can say is that it’s a HOT DAM MESS! If the police cannot solve these two robberies, especially in the Esso gas station… they are truly worthless. Those two a$$holes practically walked right in there in their casual clothes. Come on people! These are not professionals. They are simple minded idiots. Obviously. And the three from Burger King were wrapped up pretty well except for one thing, they are probably wearing the same shirts that they had on in the club Monday night. Who goes to rob place wearing such a distinctive shirt? What fools! (Was this lady alone in there?, that seems strange). SOMEONE knows something. And another thing, why the hell are business spending money on CCTV cameras that are not of excellent quality? It’s not enough to say that ‘we caught them on tape’ if no one can clearly identify them.. I only wished that they had zoomed in before they put it up on CITN. But i guess its better than nothing and there is still hope.
CCTV and finger printing will not stop repeated robbers (sorry you’re on your own), because a mask and gloves will easily defeat identification efforts. Sadly, until common sense is employed, crime and fear will continue to increase.
True Dennie, but how many people buy gloves. Hospitals and invironmental health are given theirs free. So who are the robbers? Daytime workers with access to gloves?
Everybody need to help. Even if it is to ask for identifiation to buy gloves. Why not. If you are not nurse or doctor,what you using them for. Get ID to sell certain items.
Mental note for all criminals – if you are going to steif things try so wear black clothes.
That orange shirt is pretty memorable.
This will be a good test to see if this island wide installation oc CCTV cameras will really do much in regards to crime. The results from the UK are not very impressive.
We should also require a cost analysis to see if purchasing, installing and maintaininng the cameras, as well as paying people to watch them, is a good return on investment as compared to having more RCIPS on the streets.
Is this the type of photo we can expect from the proposed multi-million dollar CCTV system? Guess we will see many more people adopting the desert style dress code!!
This photo goes to show how ineffective the CCTV system will be when it comes to catching the criminals who should be caught.
I totaly agree with you. What a waste of money.
I agree! At what cost to our already faltering economy will this CCTV system be? These robbery videos are practically right on top of the theives and yet we cannot identify facial features only clothing.
I think that this multi million dollar CCTV proposal is another "knee jerk" reactionary decision and will be a waste of money.
We need more officerGUNS FOR THESE OFFICERS, greater response times to 911 and above all else we need a greater deterent to crime. Right now these theives are seeing the release of prisoners that commit these same crimes because of the over crowding at HMP Northward. This will only become more frequent as the number of high risk and dangerous criminals are housed there. Also bring on the K-9 units and get the ganja out of the prison.
All of these robberies…
Looks like "gang initiation" to me! In the States and other places they do this to see who has the guts or balls to break to the law. It is similar to an incident where one man was chopped up by a machete behind Cox Lumber many months ago. There was no motive for the GBH; it was just an act, I believe to initiate.
Folks, gangster business is a real thing in the Cayman Islands. Don’tbe fool and think we don’t have no gangs here!
Idiots this don’t help solve the problem
It only make things worst, your’ve only making the criminals wiser by the min.
XXXX
Well those are pretty destinctive tops…..someone surely knows them – based on the clothing – no we can’t see the faces but if you happen to know 3 friends who have those tops – chances are you’ve got your guys. That poor girl had to go through that on her own and it must have been so frightening – we need to speak up and get these guys put away. This is not OK behaviour and we can’t condone it by saying nothing.
The video setup being used at these business places is cheap. Try putting a good camera eye in back of the cash register. So if I order a cheese burger you can see the cheese and record what I asked for. TV CIRCUIT, not these cheap little things and expect people to identify clothes. Businesses need to understand that you have to spend money to make money. Buy good close circuit cameras that will show clearly not these cheap ones.
While it’s great to see this, the quality is so bad that it’s hard to get anything from these videos…
I guess you’re not used to CCTV technology
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE HE.. qualifys one for a security job in Cayman? Thats all I have to say.
No good.
Yes, who ever sold them the system could have recommended as least one high res. camera for the cash box.
It will not stop until it end in a shootout,mark the words
These places have insurance for robberies why would they set up camera in the cash box.
Cheap, Cheap, Cheap set of video cameras, what else.