No pattern to armed heists
(CNS): Senior police officers say that there is no obvious trend or pattern in the recent spate of armed robberies that have taken place at gas stations, fast food restaurants and liquor stores. Police Commissioner, David Baines said in some of the robberies the criminals were desperate and stupid while others were committed by people who seemed calm and blaze’. He said he did not believe they were about gang initiation but some had the hallmarks of drug related crime. During a press briefing to reveal the country’s current crime statistics Baines and Chief Superintendent John Jones said they were increasing both overt and covert patrols to tackle the robbers.
Jones also confirmed arrests had been made in connection with one of the gas station hold-ups and a liquor store robbery. The senior officer said two male suspects had been arrested on suspicion of the Red Bay ESSO robbery on Thursday 2 June as well as the two who were arrested in connection with the robbery in Passadora Place when the Tortuga liquor store was robbed by two men with machetes on 4 June.
The officers noted that the RCIPS was increasing patrols and using whatever means possible to clam down on this latest trend in crime. Baines said the release of the CCTV footage to the public before it had been enhanced in order to try and trigger some recognition had paid off. He said it had resulted in a limited but positive response from the community and the policy to release tape would continue in cases where there were not already lines of enquiry or evidence against suspects.
Video footage also served to illustrate how unlikely it was that the incidents were related and the very different style of the recent robberies. Although Jones said the police were not ruling out all connections as sometimes there could be some form of relationship that was not obvious, but all of the most recent incidents the descriptions of the offenders were very different, the weapons used as well as ties and places.
Baines noted that the robbery at Burger King by three teenage boys had all the hallmarks of an indiscriminate, desperate and stupid crime which was properly drug related, while on the other hand the robbery at the Seven Mile Beach ESSO gas station was committed by two individuals who seemed calm and blaze in their approach. “They looked very smartly dressed as though they had just been on a pleasant evening out,” Baines added.
He also noted the strange crime at Dominos Pizza where three teenage girls had stolen a small amount of cash and “two bottles of pop” he said adding that it was hardly organised crime but stupid opportunism.
Baines said that the robbers were taking enormous risks just for small amounts of cash as armed robbery carried a heavy sentence for those who were caught or those involvedin the crimes could be hurt if they are confronted with either an individual defending themselves or uniform support group officer as he said his men would take what ever measures were necessary to protect lives from the armed gunmen.
Baines also offered his thanks to Crimestoppers for putting up a $10,000 reward for anyone who could assist in bringing the armed robbers to justice.
Category: Headline News
RCIPS could get a list from DVDL of all the RAV4 owners and go door-to-door checking them as to the whereabouts of their vehicle on the day of the robbery at Domino’s and also if they have daughters that could have possibly committed this crime (if the daughter was in school or not at the time).
I see a few of these vehicles in the Savannah area (all over, really).
Go check it out…RCIPS!! It might just work….who knows?
Sure there is a pattern – one after the other. The obvious thing to do is post police at various gas stations.
It seems to only be ESSO stations! What are the Texaco guys doing right?!?
Do you think the police dont have anything else to do. Police must watch your gas station all night, and you dont offer them a comlimentary cup of coffee a bottle of water or a sandwich.
I would beg to differ with the headline on this one… There is CLEARLY a pattern here:
Thugs commit armed robbery, police don’t catch them.
Thugs commit armed robbery, police don’t catch them.
Thugs commit armed robbery, police don’t catch them.
Thugs commit armed robbery, police don’t catch them.
Thugs commit armed robbery, police don’t catch them.
Anyone else see a pattern emerging? You may have to look closely, but it is there…
Ridiculous. Of course their is a pattern to these crimes. In fact there is a really really big picture.
The big picture is that the politicians refuse to change the laws to get these thugs off the streets therefore the thugs terrify the streets. Some politician somewhere must be getting a benefit out of all of this crime because if they were not, things would have been fixed long ago.
There is no pattern, because the crooks are smarter than the cops.
They watch CSI and whatever else to see what they can do to manipulate the way they carry out their criminal acts, and they know the cops ain’t gonna catch on.
The crooks should be hired to train the cops of what tactics they use.
It is what is not said here that is disturbing. There needs to be some dot joining so that we can learn from experience elsewhere.
Criminals (whether stupid or otherwise) will of course pick the soft targets. So unsecure gas stations, stores, liquors stores, bars and restaurants will be rolled over first. When these establishments beef up security and better protect their staff and premises in the obvious ways, the criminals will move on (back) to homes. So unless the authorities get to grips with the rapid spread of this sort of crime, we shall increasingly see homes behind guarded gates with bars, security systems and more.
This is all a very unfortunate reminder of how other countries already are and what we may soon become. And time maybe for pause for thought by those who decline to acknowledge (1) that more resources are needed to get the policing and other emergency services we all need and deserve and (2)that we must fund (pay for) them properly. These people are doing us all a huge disservice.
I think I see a pattern. It looks like any place and any time.
How is it that cops routinely catch criminals in big cities – or at least confront them and give them something to think about? Yet in Cayman, in such a small community, they cannot do anything to stop crime, or even put fear into these criminals?
Our inefective police, by making it obvious that anyone can get away with these crimes, are the real reason that crime is increasing. Something must change.
Some people may say "put up or shut up, why dont you join the force then?" My answer is – I have a job and I do it. I just want the police to do theirs.
So Mr.Baines do not beleive that this string of armed robberies are gang initiation? guess what Mr. Baines after living in New Youk I can tell you that this is exactly what it seems to be, The wannabe idiots that want to be in a gang are people that have a low self esteem, have problems at home cant accept discipline, dont fit in in society and bad parenting,they also feels empowered by numbers, that is as one I may not get away with it but as a group there is power, so you all had better get your heads out of the sand and start taking lessons on how to apprehend these thugs before it goes too far.
A word of advise, start having communications with the man on the street, dress down sometimes and go amongst them, frequent their places of hang out, you may learn a thing or two.
Good luck Cayman Im praying for us.
blasé? or high?
Are we really putting up with this nonsense of no pattern, havent two robberies been conducted by two men one with a shotgun. have they arrested anyone with a shotgun in connection with any of the robberies. Commissioner pleease!
‘his men’ ????
I thought RCIPS hired both genders….
"David Baines said in some of the robberies the criminals were desperate and stupid"
Hmmm… well what does that may Mr. Baines and the RCIPS if they can’t catch these STUPID criminals??
Friends and family of these robbers who see these people suddenly with money probably without a job need to address the situation.
There is no doubt that someone on this island knows something about the people involved in these crimes.
Hopefully someone will step up and stop this insanity before someone gets killed.
$10,000 ?????????
Can you be arrested for holding back information from the police ?
Does the government even have that kind of money to give away ?
I think they should have made people sign up to see the video’s on the crimes then , you cant watch it unless you give a serious opinion on who you think it may be ….
if the same person appears more than 3 – 5 times ..then you COULD have a suspect.
Notice : I used words like "may" and "could"
Nonsense!
Just to justify their failure in capturing the crooks. I expected a better response from the Commissioner of Police