Downtown bank robbed
(CNS): Three masked suspects robbed the Fidelity Bank in Dr Roy’s Drive shortly before 10.00 this morning (Friday 24 September). Police said the men, who were all armed with what appeared to be firearms, entered the bank and threatened customers and staff, and witnesses said they told everyone to lie on the floor. The men then made off with a sum of cash. No shots were fired and, although no one was injured, staff and customers were left shaken by the ordeal. It is believed that the men responsible left the scene in a black coloured Jeep Compass. Police uniformed and armed officers immediately attended the scene. The RCIPS Air Operations Unit was also deployed to assist in the search for the suspects. (Photo by Dennie Warren Jr)
CID officers are still at the scene interviewing witnesses and a scene of crime examination is ongoing.
One suspect is described as having brown complexion, 6 feet in height, weighing about 180 pounds. He was wearing a white overall over his face and dark glasses. The second had a dark brown complexion, and was wearing denim pants and a white and grey coloured shirt. The third man had a dark brown complexion, and wearing a white shirt and dark pants. All three had their faces covered and were carrying what appeared to be firearms.
Brett Hill, Fidelity’s President & CEO, said, “We are assisting [police] with their enquiries and we are thankful that none of our customers or members of staff were injured in this incident. The branch will be closed for the rest of the day to allow the Police to continue with their investigations.” He added that customers requiring access to Fidelity’s services today may do so at either the Fidelity Financial Centre Branch on West Bay Road of at their Money Centre Branch on Godfrey Nixon Way. The Dr. Roy’s Drive Branch will re-open for business on Monday morning.
Anyone with anyinformation about this crime should call George Town police station on 949-4222 or the confidential Crime Stoppers number 800-8477(TIPS).
Category: Headline News
06:59. What do you mean – are they not working already?
Honestly on a 22X4 island these robbers should not have gotten away………… This is just encouraging other wannabe’s to up the ante and get more brazen. They were quite successful apparently and are still at large – this is a very very bad precedent to set.
The island should have been pretty much shut down on Friday until these three guys were found. With the cctv footage, victim descriptions, car description and an alleged car chase there is no way that these guys should still be at large.
The more inept the police appear the more civilians get frustrated and start to take matters into their own hands. We need to step up our investigative skills asap!
12:30.
The Police Service in a community is not Nation Building service. We are not in the Middle East and I am tired of hearing that the Police need to win the community over. FACT : The problem is not that the people are not doing thier part with the RCIP, it is the RCIP is non-functioning as a Law Enforcement Body. If they were doing thier job and performing then crime would drop – simple. It will not drop by turning some senile old ladies garden, or playing ball. I hear you that there may be a life or two impacted by a Police Officer that took the time to mentor some kid that is from useless parents etc, but as for the community over-all,that is not the route that needs to be taken.
Enough with the shaking hands and giving candy out, as all that is getting us is more crack rocks being handed out by the thugs that are roaming free in this country. When people make comparisions to Caymans needs to that in war-torn countries, all is lost!!
12:49. a few million dollars to capture three kids with a shotgun? That makes no sense at all, and is the kind of thinking that has gotten this country to this place in the first place! If the cops were armed instead of sending a guy with a uniform on to an ARMED ROBBERY, then maybe there never would have been a robbery in the first place and if there was, the OFFICERS ON SCENE could have dealt with it.
09:28. you are correct. It is a baffling situation how this can be allowed to go on and have the community told that all is well.
The legal branch of the government is just plain mis-managed. There are so many cases where real crimes are never solved, people charged are not convicted, and the more common situation of wasting time and money on mundane issues that while are crimes, not anything that is having a wide implact on the community like tiny fractions of ganja, dogs being stolen and then having to pay legal fees as they never should have been charged in the first place, people being arrested for Immigration infractions that could be settled without using a small army of LE officers……the true issues and situations are ignored or pushed away until they explode in our face.
Yes the strategic overviews and specialist and course certificates and more plaques than Quakers have oats and law degrees yet we can’t solve simple crime or criminal situation on such a small island. Something is seriously wrong here people. More real police and less uniform carriers is a good start.
In regards to the Crime situation and solution,doing the same thing over and over and expecting to get a different result is term as insanity. We have the sameincompetent inept and corrupt people who were incharge and who allowed this island to slip down this crime slope. Yet we wonder and question the crime situation and response, Do we honestly believe it is going to get better. If we do not get rid of this "old boy Network" that has become entrench in our entire system who play games everyday with the lives or every honest and decent people who live here. This place is slowly becoming uninhabitable to all.
Maybe the RCIP should get rid oftheir officers and hire these instead?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/commonwealthgames/8029682/Trained-monkeys-guard-athletes-at-Commonwealth-Games.html
Can’t be any worse.
Wow…
a. The robbers manage to rob people’s houses,
b. Strike people with firearms in their own home,
c. Then said, let’s try the gas stations
d. Then said, let’s try the stores
e. Realized in their thick heads that the Police can’t catch them
f. Let’s try Fedility Bank
g note. They are singing with laughter at the RCIP that they were able to rob successfully a Fedility Bank. Let’s rob another maybe during the bad weather they say… we are not going to get caught
—
Folks, we have a serious situation on our hands and playing nice guy is not going to help our community. These bad guys will gain more and more confidence in what they do, and they will bring havoc to our society if they are not stopped.
1. We can’t have Security guards unarmed and helpless
2. We can’t have Police Officers unarmed and helpless, and afraid to respond to a scene because they are unarmed and not equipped; and,
3. We can’t have the Commissioner of Police tell us we ought to trust them more than trusting ourselves and at least, providing for our own self-defence!
ONLY REALISTIC PEOPLE SOLVE REAL LIFE SITUATIONS
Solution.
RCIP needs to release the CCTV video of the robbery – someone HAS to recognize one of the robbers!
i thought we (the Cayman Islands) had a manhunt already fon going for about a year now in which we cannot find…?
how on earth shall w mange to find another three now???
🙁
And..in addition the previous post the police officers should also have an off- duty presence in the community as well. Just as the Police Chief needs the respect of the officers (usually obtained by working longer hours and in how he deals with other officers) so do the police officers need the respect of the community. Most of us work on Saturdays, If we paid more to attract the best, then they would not mind too much if one Saturday a month off duty was given back to the public. They could get involved in interaction within the communities with special projects on a personal level. For example a disadvantaged family may need to help with something they can’t afford, a wheel chair ramp for an ederly persons home or a fundraiser to help a child. People will feel this and it is very impressionable in a young persons mind. At risk youth would remember the police did something for a friends family or his family. Maybe they raised some money to help an accident victim cover thier bills. The police just wouldn’t be a badge with a gun. We could make a marked improvement on all levels and get the majority support of the community. Do you see what the US Soldiers try to do in Iraq and Afghanistan. The locals don’t like the fighting anymore than the troops do. They don’t really like the Taliban but they want to feel safe in giving support to the troops to get rid of the threat, they real bad guys. Trust is everything.
12:30 it is easy to say police to get involved in communities and fund raising but that view is too simplistic. The police is not the army and Cayman is not Afganistan neither are we at war.Officers have to be ever so careful with money matters. It is easy to be accused of curruption and have your character tarnished by even the senior Command.Did you not read the recent pronouncements made in our newspapers about RCIP. The impression was given that a substantial amount of officers were illiterate and can’t even put a propper statement togather. Are these persons suitable to undertake those extra functions you proposed? Did you also herd about a former officer who raised funds for community projects in North Side and ended up doing time in HMP for theft? Police has a Community Relation Department which undertakes such projects and also help to start neighbourhood watches in their areas.I would leave such projects to them. With the new shift system that was recently implemented Officers sometimes find themselves working 6 days per week some times and still liable to be called out on their time off. They don’t pay overtime in the RCIP.The Police Officers have families too that they must spend quality time with, otherwise their kids might contribute to social problems in the Society later. If I was an officer living in a community my off time would be spent with my family. An officer needs his privacy too so he can relax and unwind and "recharge his battery" for his next duty. Dont ask me to take my one, or sometimes, 2 days off to work again. My duty in my community is to be a good citizen, report any crimes which come to my knowledge to the Police and give information on criminal activities that I may know of.My privacy would of utmost importance to me.
UK Policing does not work here. US Policing will. This of course isn’t the same Old Place anymore. The officers don’t need to wear a side arms but they should at the very least have a shotgun locked in a holder between the two front seats (unloaded). It may take a few seconds to set up but at least they have it. They should use slugs as well. There should be a cage , preferably plexi-glass separating the fron seat and the rear seats in the cruisers. THEY SHOULD BE AIR CONDITIONED. There should be an inquiry every time a pair of police shoes is on the floor in the police station for longer than 5 minutes other than administrative personnel. They need to be out on the beat in thier cruisers in all districts so that they can get a call an react to trouble spots quickly and in the event they need protection they have it. There should be more cruisers. There should be one downtown in a parking lot ready to go at a moments notice at all times. Cell phones should only be for work and family emergencies during time on patrol. They need to be paying attention and not distracted. It seems to me that having good police officers and effective management is a priority. Therefore you must make the job attractive and well paying. For the right price you will get some really good officers and this will pay us back 10 fold when you think about our image in regard to making this place safe for tourists, retired type home investors etc. Only this coupled with education and early intervention with youth at risk can a difference be made. Maybe some of those little Gangstas would rather tote a gun as police officer where they can get real respect protecting the community and being a good person rather than an anti-social thug. People should look up to police butwe have a real problem on our hands at present. It takes the will of the government but the Police Chief needs to have respect of his officers to be effective. A complete overhaul of the police force could be done but it would have to be done with thought and consultation with THE RIGHT people. This is not really the UK’s Problem and this is a real problem if the police force answers ultimatley to the Governor. You have to have real police officers who can react under pressure and shoot to kill if they unfortunently are required to do so. That takes repetative training and being paired up with senior veterans on patrol. We need to get rid of the Cayman- Expat Divisions in the Police Force. It could be done but it won’t happen if the the UK is administering to our protection. If this place is turning into a little Miami we need to treat is as such…however minus the corrupt law enforcement element that plauges all forces.We must try for only the good ones who are attracted with top $ for the kind of polic force we could build.
Let me say this … First things first. Why are there not more police presence around the down town area especially on a Friday. Even seeing police walking about with there guns, yes guns, would be a deterrant for anyone planning to do some crime.
What on earth are the task force for? When last have you seen these men? They should be walking around in town, vest, guns and all. If they bump into a criminal that has a gun and they dont want to put it down, well then shoot the creep!
The reason why these crimes are becoming so rampant in Cayman is because the criminals know that most of the police dont have a gun much less shoot them even if they do have one.
The crime rate is changing so the law has to change with it. The criminals are getting more brazin and out of control so the RCIPS have to take back control and if it means firing their guns then aim good and shoot is what i say and if some of you police get injured or die well remember it was done in honor. By all means that is part of being a police. what? only in other countries their police can die in honor but not ours?
If your short of police then recruite more and so what if they have been in trouble with the law before. Who hasn’t. I am so sick if the way this society looks down on people especially if they have changed and need some support to get on their feet. Oh sorry we cant hire you because you have a record. So why do you think some people just never changed?!? Sorry not eveyone has a relative with a business that they can work with.
I was told they dont have enough police to have them walking about in town but I can honestly say i only have seen one??? where are the rest? Well where is the special force? Why did it take the RCIPS over 15 minutes to reach Fidelity when the police station is just 2 minutes away? Mr. Bain perhaps you can answer these questions as i was one of the few bragging about you and your work but now i have to wonder? The RCIPS is really worthless. What are they employed for? We have 400 or 500 cops how come you cant see any of them around? No wonder people will smuggle into Cayman and do crimes becomes they know it will take the police 15 minutes to come and they only need 1 minute to rob somewhere.
21:47.
The Helicopter is a waste of money/time just like most of the ideas and policies that Baines has implimented and is forcing down our throats.
For LE work, to have the helicopter function it would have to be in the air for application to help with crime work. This is not a viable option. Take for example, if you had police cars in a garage. You have to get the Officers to the cars, and get them on the road. An hr has passed or better. It makes no sense to have this chopper for the Police and is a waste. The fact that it is done in the UK or US does not make it work here. Instead of admitting this, and moving on they will either increase its use to probe it serves a real purpose, or just keep forcing the people to pay for it because…….
I do not know of one smaller city the size of Cayman that has a chopper as it is not an option that can be employed by a person that has a clear way of thinking. It is a waste of money just like the Police have proven as a whole. I know it must shame some of the hard-working Officers to read this, but they are far and few between. All of this modern police service and community policing has gotten us is a nightmare. The Police are not functioning. No need to beat a dead horse, searching for the reasons as Baines has pointed them out to the public. What is needed is for a change in the RCIP, think out of the box, instead of a circle, as this is what is going on; going in circles.
The citizenship of this country are suffering a hardship due to this incompetent body of dead wood! We are unarmed, the Police are unarmed as a whole and the criminals are fully armed and ready to perform. Looks like a win win deal if you are a criminal. You do not go to play football with tennis racket!
The police chopper is exactly what caught the three teens that robbed the BT gas station who then shot at the police in pursuit. It was chopper’s FLIR system that tracked down the teens hiding in the bushes in the dark. I say just that one incicent that makes the money wellspent.
The Commissioner of Police has to do better than this!
1. Unarmed officers on the street – sitting ducks who can’t enforce the law!
2. Publicly defending an unarmed society where homeowners and business-owners ought NOT to bear arms, and thus, the "bad man" can pistol whip you all he wants in your own home or business!
3. Wasting our monies on supporting more UK officers to come here so they could have a vacation-ride and accomplish nothing, but subject officers to lie-detection and micromanagement!
When are we going to ever see the Police Service managed correctly???
Hello we have an unarmed reactive police service,time consumed in finding the armed response unit and getting them to the scene,or failing that finding officers that are certified to carry a firearm and issuing firearms to these officers at the station. A half an hour or forty five minutes does not seem unreasonable.These things happen when you have an unarmed police service. Barring all the other problems with the service and I think commissioner Baines has been quite open with the public with his opinion of the people serving under his command ,[one might not agree with his airing the RCIPS failings for all to see] but I think he was quite open and honest. . There is no quick fix for these problems except to fire the people that he found there that are not suitable to be police officers and find replacements that are up to his standards. Then he has their rights under the labor law to contend with. A vast majority of the public want an unarmed police service and unarmed security guards and an unarmed public so this is the end result. It is what it is.
"majority of public wants unarmed police": this is not true. Speak for your self. Have you ever have to "stare down the bore of a deadly forty four". Another thing "While the grass is growing the horses are starving" I bet the Commissioner never come face to face with an armed assailant otherwise he would understand why we think the way we do.
I do understand if you are a Copper on this island would you really want to show up and be in a situation like this with a Billy club and hand cuffs while a hold up is in progress probally not. People do have to realize you don’t show up to a gun fight with a club. The RCIP have to really get with the program and start arming there officers with guns yes guns welcome to the real world this is 2010 we aren’t in Mayberry with Barnie anymore. Now with that being said there are well mmmmmmmmmmm 200/250 police on island I would have thought that these bandits would have been caught by now.
If these punks get away with a bank robbery, scaled to this…ima be quiet pleased …heck they beat me to it lol
This has nothing to do with bank robbery but just to give you an insight of what is going on in neighborhoods. There is a park now built in the Spotts Newlands area on the corner, and guess what I drove by the other day, about 1pm in the afternoon and what do you think is there, not children, a few young males, dressed in gangsta clothes hanging out there. Is this park not for children? Is this not called loitering? What on earth are they doing there at 1pm during the week? No jobs, no school, big trouble brewing there!!!! Come on Spotts stand up for your area and do something about it before they take it over!!! or another drive by shooting…..neighborhood patrols are as useless as the police department!
What exactly are gangta clothes?!
I understand your conern, however, you just don’t go about judging people by their attire. Can you define ‘ganster clothes’?
If you were so concerned about what they were doing there you should have stopped to ask or called the police to investigate the young guys who were more than likely just sitting and talking. The park is for the community and if you were to drive by around 6, you may see the same said boys in ‘ganster clothes’ playing with the other kids and talking with their parents.
Are you a resident of the Spotts area? If you were, you would know we do not have those kind of issues there. The poice presence is felt there because of alot of them live there.
The job issue is one that is quite unavoidable now as it is hard, especially for young children to get jobs so I think your frustration should be addressed to the current Gov’t. As for school we cannot force the young people to go after they graduate from high school.
I can reassure you the minute any resident feels unsecure or has suspisions, the police is called and the neighbourhood is on watch.
Thanks for your concern….but….we have this under control.
There is no way that someone doesn’t know who did this and that someone does not know who the black Jeep Compass’ owner or driver is. If we want crime solved, then we, the good citizens need to step up to the plate and tell the Police who is involved. If you wish to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers. You can also post it on CNS. As long as you remain quiet,you are letting criminals succeed. Those two girls who testified in the Samuels trial should be made national heros. They had more backbone than those who claim to be leaders on this island have. Follow their examples and lets put an end to crim in Cayman. Our old folk were poor, but they didn’t rob or steal, so there is no reason why this younger generation should do so.
08:52 you are absolutely correct in all that you have said. To add to your comments, I would like to say that this robbing of Banks, restaurants, business places and fast food joints, not only will hurt Caymanians, but it will in the short run, effect foreigners living here too in one way or the other.
What I see, is, if it is foreign natonals suspected, it is going to bring more hate an animosity between the Cayman and those people, whom ever they may be. If it is a Caymanian it is going to bring more hate and animosity between the people of Cayman and those that make the decisions here. e.g. Leaders, Immigration, and Police. "Why?" Just give it some thought and you will come up with the answer..
Both animosity’s are now at "High Level" So each of us need to give some serious and sensibly thougts as to what do we want to happen. "Should this to continue?" Then do the right thing, take a bite out of Crime.
I know that the persons inside the bank were probably a little shook up, but its the ‘little’ details that what’s gonna help solve these crimes. The news that afternoon said that the get-a-way car was a Jeep Cherokee.. that right there can be misleading, if in fact it was a Compass..
why don’t the police release the video footage of these crimes maybe someone from the public will know these punks…
Giving them enough time to make a run for it I guess…
I don’t know how the system works with which officers are armed but if those officers are not armed at all times and have to check weapons in and out when there’s a crime being committed, that is going to cause delays. I know of at least one sargeant who has to go check out armed crime scenes without a weapon. what sense does that make. That is putting the officer is unnecessary danger. I am beginning to think that the Commissioner and higher up Police, MLA’s etc. don’t want the crime stopped. I know you can’t believe everything you see on TV but they do have DEA and COPs shows which are supposed to be real. Those Police work in huge cities, much bigger than Cayman and manage to solve murders and other crimes by using gut instinct, common sense, perserverance. I’m sorry to all the Police who do a great job because I know there are some, but some of hte Police you see being interviewed on TV cannot put a sentence together, can barely speak understandable English. I still think basic intelligence and literacy tests for all officers. Those who fail, get sent home. I really hope we are not paying for expat officers to go to school to learn to read and write but have an awful feeling that we are. If you don’t have street smarts, intelligence, common sense, a passion to keep the peace and uphold laws, you should not be in our Police Force. If you are worried about the risk of Caymanian Officers letting family members get away with things (and I’m not saying they do), pair them up with an expat who has no such disorted sense of loyalty.
How many police boats do we have? Should we not patrol the shores DAY and NIGHT since many illegals seems to be able to come and go as they please? Get some Caymanians to Captain the Boats. They know the reefs like the back of their hands and there will be fewer accidents with these boats. What happened to the radar? Couldn’t this be used to track boats coming into the Islands illegally?
Fingerprint EVERYONE applying for a Police Record. Fingerprint EVERYONE coming in to these Islands.
Issue National ID cards for everyone over the age of 17. I don’t care if the Police or Immigration stop me because I haven’t done anything wrong. We need to know who is here and why. Anyone with a work permit hwo is unemployed has to go home.
Everyone who has authority over the Police and immigration PLEASE GET TOGETHER AND DO SOMETHING. Our island is too small.
Finally, those of you know who is committing these crimes, use Crime stoppers and turn them in. They may be friends and family members but they are dragging this country down. The future for all of us, and our children and grandchildren is looking very scary if we don’t do something now.
Are you serious? Immediately attended the scene? 15 minutes later you mean….. Probably afraid of being shot! Come on guys!@
I would say this, if these guys are masked and holding up a bank, they are probably perpetrators and NOT suspects….hello?
Anyone home?
In every police force I have worked in around the world (and i have worked for five), a person is always called a ‘suspect’ until they are charged, where they are then either called ‘the accused’ or ‘the defendant.’
Check your facts before making stupid criticisms of the RCIP.
The words are used by people interchangeable. The legal aspect is another matter. The two words are important when addressing the court.
Why police took 45 minutes to arrive at the crime scene. Central Police station is 2-3 blocks away from this bank. They could have walked to the scene within 5 minutes. Did the criminals get inside help from the police. Did they get to know that the Uniform Support Group is out of town. Mr. Blaine please get rid of these spies from the police force before trying to rid the ciminals from the country. Can you reveal the results from your latest lie detector tests? What happened to your million dollar helicopter for 45 minutes? If you deployed the helicopter within minutes of the 1st call, you would have captured these rascals by this time. You need to tell the country what’s going on in your force. This situation is wholly unacceptable !!!
Why would they go to the scene as a priority? Were the robbers still there?
They were busy dealing with the machete man from Cayman Brac.
Lachlan MacTavish (not verified) on Fri, 09/24/2010 – 18:35.
It seems Cayman has become an easy target for "professional or more organized" criminals. BTW, I am not critising the RCIP. They are mainlya hard working dedicated group IMO, but they are only as good as the leadership and they are only as good as the elected decision makers. Funding, training, emergency officers that comes from the elected members. No one seems to want to make any hard decisions and the criminals understand slow decision making and will take advantage of the situation. It looks as though things will continue to get worse before they get better.
What planet are you living on? Did you buy your beans from the same people that sold Jack his beans?
The elected members are the money train that fund the Police. The Police cry that they do not have need and they have gotten almost everything they asked or are asking for. The Governer is the one with the stones to enforce his will and the power. Not the elected arm, they have no say with teeth. They are however like an ATM machine. The Commissoner wastes money on a Helicopter that has proven that it is not a real asset to the the Police in crime reduction, I dare anyone to prove otherwise. Yes in search and rescue but not crime. It is a money pit in that regards that the elected arm is paying for. The Police are a money pit overall. They are like flushing money down the sewer. They are not producing, and are non-functioning. Instead of them really curbing and reducing crime they are driving around in bus loads with Immigration arresting a guy that was working here without permission. I aggree a law-breaker but the RCIP have more important things to tend to like a bank robbery. But instead they are to busy dealing with mundane tasks like that as it does not involve real Police Work. The Commissoner is not performing, along with his staff at most levels. He can keep swinging it around like he is doing a great job, but the proof is in the pudding and right now we are eating cow pies. The criminals are running circles around the Police and the answer we get from those with the AUTHORITY is to light you place up like Christmas, be a victim, we are putting TV and cameras up to watch you,the Police are going to school to do better and suck it up, this is the island you live in. I for one am tired of this.
The best day this island will see is when 1/2 of this Police Service are no longer employed with the CI Government, Baines is on a plane home and the people and a lot from Jamaica are going too. While there are many good Jamaicans, the ones that are not here with a real legal reason need to hold hands on a plane out of here and NOT BE ALLOWED TO RETURN IN A FEW MONTHS AS IS THE CASE. I would send some locals with them but that is not allowed as they too are a disgrace to this country. I do aggree with you on that though, the elected arm has control over Immigration Matters so they could enforce this. This madness has to stop amd will take drastic steps to do it. But unless you are prepared to live in a Police State with the way the economy is going it could prove a hard task to complete as it has been allowed to go out of control with the Policing that we have now.
21:07 You make some good points. Yes the Gov has the final say. I have said this is the past numerous times, the rampant growing changing crime situation in Cayman is beyond an emergency issue and needs immediate action. If I was the elected leader of my country and I was watching a major crime occur everyday in my country I would cancel my first class trip to Singapore and I would be meeting with the Governor and be saying " Lets work together and get this under control for the sake of the people". I wouldn’t be hiding behind the cloak "we provide the funding and its the Governor’s job". This issue is way to big and out of control for stand back and see what happens behavior.
Why back in the day, as a PoliceOfficer we were able to solve so much major crimes in a week or less. I remember we used to block off the roads leading up to the crime scene and search everyone exiting the crime area.
Sometimes, we did not get the full discription of the persons/vehicle and we had to go off our gut feelings. When we blocked off the road we would keep the siren on and confuse the criminals with them not knowing where we were. That gives the search team time to come in to search for them.
Please use common sense and stop sending ten or more officer to the crime scene and block off the main exits of the area and ou may get a better outcome/results.
Train your officers in the day and night on any possiable situation. eg; Say the Foster’s Supermarket is rob. Which road will you block off and so on , until the search team gets in. We want his crime thing to stop NOW.
WOW!!!!!
"Police uniformed and armed officers immediately attended the scene"
That’s not true! They came 45 minutes after the incident.
Someone had to see when they left & what type of clothing & vechicle they were driving, I have to agree with some of the bloggers here the commissioner has his opinion on how to fight crime but he should listen to Joe public too at times.
Blaming the Government isnt truly the fault here as the Govenor is in charge of policing & the government approves the budget. Yet we do have to blame the government for giving so many work permits & status to so many people. Force the Caymanians to go to work & stop handing out to the lazy ones & mom dad stop supporting them,charge boarding fees to them.
Register all non working Caymanians & check that list weekly if they are not working, why, even if its digging ditches, house cleaning etc its a living, should’nt be too proud to earn a dollar, will make you feel good. All status holders that are not working let them return home to their native land and not become a burden on the people here.
Why this is not America/ Canada/ Jamaica or other large countries, this is a small Island that is way over populated as is and its no wonder that we have so much crap going on.
I agree with you 100%
what
People stop blaming security,they have no weapons of any sort yo protect the premises which they are trying to secure.It is against the law for a security officer to even possess a pair of handcuffs in the Cayman Islands
Nobody is blaming the security guard all they were saying is that at times they aren’t alert at fidelity
HELLO! and who are the Security Guards? HELLO! who is who, and who. LOL.
Well its a crying shame again! but its only going to get worst by the sounds of it! You cant sleep with your windows open and now they are going to walk into the banks. Jobs are getting fewer! I cant wait to see the 83 count down come and see what else happens in that time. I hope Mr. Premier has alot of answers and solutions that he is going to make things right because we are in such a mess and its only getting worst. Prayer is the only answer in my eyes! Raising families is not the way is was years ago and these little thugs need to all get real work for there dollars instead of mama get me this life. Prison will be there best friend sooner than later! Thats another topic the prison needs to be worst from what I understand life is too easy in there for these criminals.
It seems Cayman has become an easy target for "professional or more organized" criminals. BTW, I am not critising the RCIP. They are mainly a hard working dedicated group IMO, but they are only as good as the leadership and they are only as good as the elected decision makers. Funding, training, emergency officers that comes from the elected members. No one seems to want to make any hard decisions and the criminals understand slow decision making and will take advantage of the situation. It looks as though things will continue to get worse before they get better.
These are not "more professional or more organized"! They are hitting bigger targets though.
11:09.
I think what cayman needs to be done, is similar to the US.
The Banks should hire Off Duty Police Officers that are able to use guns, so that hopefully this may prevent less crimes.
Do you thinks they will be allowed to carry a gun while off duty watching a bank, when they cannot/or be able (because they are bordering disabled) to be armed while on duty protecting the island.
In theory that would work, but this is not the US, or the Police would be armed, and at least 50% of these animals would be apprehended while doing a crime or trying to get away. The Police here are just plain out useless in curbing or stopping violent criminal acts. 15 minutes to get there! That is just another example of the quality of Police Service we get here. Let us face it, chances are there were only a few armed Officers on duty, and if anyone else was to be armed they would have to swear a firearm out. Paperwork too, and from Baines himself, I am sure some of these guys had trouble filling in the forms to get a gun!
By this time the criminals were miles away. I do know there were unarmed officers responding against three armed suspects. The way the Police function is that of an invalid, with pampers that are over-flowing and two sizes two big. They cannot control this and keep talking more talk.
The Commissoner is just a head piece as to what he is leading. He seems to be truley ashamed of his charge, calling them stupid in more ways then one, and sending them to school to learn thier ABC’s. This is more of a comedy then a Police Service. These are the people that are protecting us against three armed robbers who got away in a minute in the daylight, within a few miles of the Police Station and never got chased, let alone caught. The Police have been made to look like fools once again. There will be more community meetings with Baines, lunches to address crime with Dr. White – Mr. Baines there is saying, you are the company you keep!
Chase? They can’t chase anymore, because if you have a police chase, its the same "John public" "kicking up dust" against it, and later, the commissioner or one of his CO coming to "dis" the officers and threaten them with disciplinary action to let themselves( the high Command) look good in the eyes of the public. Recent speeches that were made would demoralize the devel himself, let alone human beings working as law enforcement officers. If you say half of them are "dead wood" or "illiterates", that will really "boost their morale" and will make your job easier. Yes! definitely!
Good thought, the companies will pay, but commish won’t say yes. He wants them to be at the station, not trying to make the Island a safer place to work.
‘its expats fault for taking jobs of local people and forcing them into crime….etc..’ – crosstalk on rooster 101, 7.30-10.30am, mon-fri, 12 months of the year……..
That type of moronic simplification of the evolution of crime in Cayman may get the want a be future politicians votes but will not solve the society’s difficulties.
I’ve been unemployed before and I’ve been financially desperate before and I never committed a crime, armed or otherwise, to get money during those difficult times. DO NOT blame me for your evil, thieving ways!
It’s the expats fault? You really need to give your head a shake. These people commiting these crimes need to get an education so they can get a good job. All the expats here who have good jobs have an education and have skills and experience. These criminals need to get off their butts and do something with their lives. Stop blaming their actions on hard working people.
You’re shooting the messenger here. The (likely expat) poster of the comment you’ve taken exception to (Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 09/24/2010 – 16:17) posted a quote of what is being said daily on Rooster. And you’re getting thumbs-up for it too, LOL.
Y’all read the first sentence and lost the plot without reading the rest it seems. I hope none of you are any of our resident spelling and grammar experts!
EXPATS FAULT?
You need to think twice child, I’m a Caymanian and I truly dont blame the expats, I blame us the people who refuse to get a job or get a good education.
Take a look at the expat workers, they work their shifts, are on time for work, they stick to their jobs not skip from job to job every three four months dont mouth off to the managers/owners and curse at them with such filthy language I can go on and on and on. What I’m trying to say here is that we are blaming expats for our problems but its not their fault, its ours for being so lazy and not having good work ethics. No one wants to pay a worker that do not want to work 8 hours a day or come in late, leave early call in sick every few days and have an attitude when they are there, they are in business to make money, so can you blame them
this is a sarcastic comment from some one who listens to the nonsense on crosstalk every morning!!!!!!
CNS: what about the chase in east end, was hearing roomers that the police was chasing them up east end?
Let’s hope they catch them. At this rate before you knowit, all criminals are going to be locked up. To me it seems like the criminals want to join their buddies in the system. They can all be behind bars together. Unbelievable mess Cayman is in.
Stop criticise the police and premier as they can’t not be at every corner on the islands. Bank robbery happen all over the world and many places don’t even bother put in the press. People of cayman islands need to work with the police and help their inquires. The more help from public, families, friends who know the person, the quicker for police to catch criminals.
CCTV System??
So wasn’t there supposed to be a CCTV surveillance system installed in and around the downtown areas??
This crime deterrent has been spoken about for years and we all heard in the press a couple months ago it was going to be installed soon.
Why is this taking sooo long to get sorted out?
I had to use the bank today so i went to Camana Bay, there is a more secure feel about that place than George Town which has just been left to rot covered in crime by Government and the incompetant RCIP!!
Were the Bank robbers wearing gloves? If not, perhaps the forensics may lift a finger print or two, if the crime scene did not get contaminated before the Police came on the scene. Did the 3 Robbers entered the bank seperately or together? What direction did they fled to? and were there a 4th person in the get-away vehicle. Its not too many Black Jeep Compasses around, so the police should be able to scan the database, to see all the owners. Perhaps someone also got the License plate number or part of it, if so that should help scale the search down some more. Did they disengaged the Security Guard before they sprung into action? and one last questions, I sure hope the Bank had Security cameras?
I have a question. What was the purpose of your post? Your investigative skills are sorely missed in the RCIPS, a career change may be in order.
All I want to know is WHERE are the pictures and WHEN will they be released?
Perhaps the Police would get more help from the public if you would release CCTV pictures as everywhere else in the civilized world does on the evening news.
You can only help if you are given information and the police seem to think keeping the information close the vest is helping!
Please, Please, Please can someone in authority (MLA, Commish, etc) ask or write into law that the police (if they have it) must release photos within xxx number of hours. This is just crazy that they dont’ do this, I don’t understand.
why are silent alarms not used in all banks?Or are they?Seems to me that this would certainly help the situation.Thank goodness no one was hurt.
The police were called immediately by people in the bank. They chose to take 15 minutes to arrive.
You mean it took them fifteen minutes to walk across the street?!
CNS: We’ve had conflicting reports as to whether they were masked or unmasked. The police have now said they were masked.
Hence why the question was ask? Please read before youcomment…
Mr/Ms. Geniuses, CNS’s initial report stated that they were unmasked, hence the reason I asked, other media reports stated the men were masked.
CNS please correct me if i’m wrong
Some times the comments are behind before being published, he probably wrote that before the comments were undated, which make it look like he asked after the fact and did not read all the comments above, geeez people give the guy a break…..
Brett, Thanks for opening the other branch.
Much appreciated and good decision.
No mention of accents.
I have to believe that if these criminals knew that they were entering the bank to face an armed guard that they might have decided differently. Maybe, maybe not but are we willing to take that chance. Would the result have been any different if there had been 5 unarmed police officers in the bank? NOT! If the Governor doesn’t step in soon and do something about the situation here in Cayman we will not have to worry about building that pier and we can start letting the grass grow on the runway. By the way, who is the Governor again? I cant even recall his name.
who yu daddy is?
Most banks, hedge funds, and financial operations in the U.S. have been robbed from the inside.
Police DID NOT response to the robbery immediately! This goes to show how slack the police force still is, to be 2 minutes away and take almost and half an hour to get to Fidelity. This is a fact as I called them also, which took them another 10 minutes after the numerous phone calls from others.
"Police uniformed and armed officers immediately attended the scene"
I would hope so that the Police came. The armed thing is what gets me, is this not like letting that randy stallion out to the mares, then closing the gate? This is a disgrace that the Police cannot corner people off and they got away in the daylight. The people are footing the bill once again for the flying bird and a bunch of cops standing around taking statements.
I know the Police cannot be everywhere,but it would be nice if they did confront criminals that are doing a crime once in a while
I always try to give the police support, but there are a few things missing in many situations, where the police and immigration can be more vigilent. Have they lost the touch and the eyesight for suspicious looking persons.
What is wrong with the way it was done back then, where by if the police or immigration saw persons walk, sit on fence, hang round banks and fast food joints after 8.30 am. or driveby loitering you was pulled over and request ID. If you had a job why would you be standing on street corner at 8.30 – 9 am.
The police cannot be stationed by these places waiting for a crime to take place I know, but come on now is there something wrong with really checking people for some sort of ID. and no one should be left out.
Someone knows something…..andI call it a professional hit with a special hand shake. Every thing good fe eat nuh good fe talk.
What is going on with the CCTV thing? Wasn’t CCTV going to assist police in capturing the thugs. What is delay with it? Come on get with it.
yeah all banks have CCTV systems but if they cover their face and it is harder to find people and it take time to release photos in the press and TV.
So at 10:30 this AM I am at the Butterfield branch in town and asked the security guard if he was on alert and he had no idea what I was talking about. You would think that the police would inform all the banks of what has just occured. Crazy that the public knows before even the bank employees.
Relevant Bank employees knew shortly after 10 a.m. Why should the guard tell you what he knows and what he is doing?
the police took 15 minutes to respond!!!!!!! WHY??????? That is a fact not hearsay!!!!
At least 15 minutes, we had time to hear about it, talk about it, wander down several flights of stairs, then stand outside for a while gawking and return to work before the police arrived.
Probably because the Police were wetting themselves over what to do and wanted to give the robbers enoughtime to get away so they didn’t have to confront them and get shot! LOL!
CNS were on the scene before the Police from what I heard!!!!!!!!!
That just proves the private sector is more efficient than Government! The Private People know how to deal with issues and Government does not…… need any more explaining?
What ever happened to the people who robbed the bank in Savannah. Where they caught?
Nope! Nothing ever came of that.
Actually, two young Caymanian males were arrested, according to CNS, but I have not heard anything sense then.
It told you that this type S#$% was going to hit the fan one day and spread like "wild fire" all over in the Cayman Islands………. and so it’s no surprise that it’s here now.
Now let’s see if the "smart/wise guy’s" that were told this and who were trained at Bramshill in the UK, (Local and UK officers a-like) can solve this one and the others to come !!!!
CNS, no names mentioned.
Wouldn’t the bank have security? With all of the robberies downtown, how can this be allowed to happen so easily?
The bank does have security. He sits right at the side of the big glass doors as you come in the bank. And sometimes, he’s sitting behind the receptionist’s desk when she’s out to lunch.
And he is also sometimes just talking to his friends when they come into the bank and looking at the TV instead of what is going on outside…lol
Sorry wrong bank. There is no TV playing in the main branch of Fidelity! You must be thinking about another bank…?
and where is the premier????
I’m sorry but his bulletproof vest is at the cleaners! Some people boy…if he was here what would he had done anyway? Slap em with a a new policy? Let’s stick to the subject and leave out politics *roll my eyes*
Was the Premeir supposed to be standing guard outside the damn bank??!
For Christ sake hush, what the Premier can do about this.
He could do some more of what he has always been doing "NOTHING"
The premier considers Cayman a dangerous place to live, so he tries to spend as much time as possible away from the crime.
Why, do you think he did it?
Un masked? should not be hard to find them then. If their faces were not covered then assume they have a get away plan and start monitoring the water for boats! There is a full moon out they are probably planning to use that for light and head back home!
CNS: We’ve had conflicting reports as to whether they were masked or unmasked. The police have now said they were masked.
OK, well if someone/anyone saw them unmasked they need to inform the police of what they saw immediately. Perhaps they pulled off their masks on the way out or getting into the vehicle. I am speculating here admittedly, but purely because I can’t help wondering why we would have conflicting reports unless someone saw them unmasked?
I think what cayman needs to be done, is similar to the US.
The Banks should hire Off Duty Police Officers that are able to use guns, so that hopefully this may prevent less crimes.
Or, take Cuba. I’m sure there is crime, but you see less crime because they have Police Officers on every corner.
Here we go again. Isn’t this the same site on which we recently received overwelming criticism of police officers because they stopped to eat in a restaurant while on duty? Also police were criticised for having two jobs or own a business. It was on this site also police were accused of curruption, of course without any evidence. The police seemed to be "fodder for the fire". any one who want to spew out anger on some one when a crime has been committed "yeah mon," the police. Never forget the gruiling shift system that the Police High Command recently implemented where uniform police has to work for six days a week and must keep their phone on because they might just be called back to the stataion when they are eating their dinner or having a bath. Lets be fair, So now they are supposed to use the one, and sometimes ,two rest days to stand outside a bank like a security guard. Thats a job for security guards not police. That is the private sector .If they want 24 hours guards they should pay for that. "Boy unna short sited un no". Unna memory short.
I agree with you 100% 12:55
How utterly pathetic and embarrassing for the Cayman Islands – a first world financial hub where old cow-boy and crooks bank robbery methods still take place. For all the anit-money laundering, KYC procedures and other due diligence infrastructure we have, we have a bunch of low lifes walking around robbing banks – 3rd world!
This blog smells like the article from Caymanabayinfo thats making its way around by email, you all should get a copy & read it, scary the way Caymanabay portrays Caymanians, hope that its all a joke but I dont think so.
As a Caymanain I do not agree with this type of criminal activity, it should be dealt with harshly and I venture to say that all good abideing citizens believe just so.
I do not believe that these men cant find jobs, they DONT want a job, they would rather sit on their duffs, steal, wear their wives, mother father out by demanding money they need to go to work like all good people do, I’m sick of trumping up excuses for these people.they are lazy thats the bottom line.
Wake up??? Rather, Wake up Commissioner of Police!
The tooth paste is already out of the tube.
A bank was just robbed in Miami this morning with a hostage taken, it doesn’t make us 3rd world.
Comparing Cayman to the United States is like comparing a grain of sand to the Seven Mile Beach!!
I hope it hurry happen, then there will be no reasons for people to come here
What planet are you living on? "Cowboy and crooks bank robbery methods still take place" in other so called ‘first world’ countries too despite their better technology, police and procedures. Here are some examples:
Miami, USA http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/09/25/1841966/teller-at-center-of-coral-gables.html
Washington DC, USA http://www.wusa9.com/rss/local_article.aspx?storyid=109048
Northern Ireland, UK http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-11393262
Ottawa, Canada http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Police+investigate+Canada+bank+robbery/3147177/story.html
Does this also make these places ‘third-world’? No, the truth is that disgusting criminals look for opportunities and are brazen in their exploitation of them. This perp in DC didn’t even try to hide his face…
Anyway, my main point is this… in these countries their laws are better suited to the conditions of their environment. The recent events in Cayman show that the outdated and ineffective security laws in Cayman need to be changed ASAP so that the security guards can be more effective. The police, despite their efforts, are not keeping up with the crime levels and privately paid security firms are forced to try to prevent crimes with their hands tied.
It’s obvious that businesses are trying to prevent crime by installing security systems and hiring security guards. However, our government’s current laws don’t suit today’s environment and actually work against these private efforts and investments. Our laws limit security guards to being watchmen rather than provide the true level of security needed in Cayman in 2010; particularly in banks. This needs to change.
We need to let these security guards do their jobs and stop restricting their effectiveness. This is one of the main things that criminals are exploiting and this can be easily changed. Also, contracted jobs by off-duty police in good standing with the ability to carry firearms on these private jobs while uniformed may be a good approach. Something needs to be done!!!!
Otherwise, it’s going to continue to be just another day in Absurdistan.
I have always told Police Officers over and over again that it is when we have RAINY WEATHER, is when these criminals choose to do their thing.
It is a favorite mode of operation!
Hmmm…my brother-in-law, who was a police officer in the UK before retirement, says he was always relieved to when it rained while he was on duty. He said there were many fewer incidents on a wet night as compared to a dry one. Any officers out there care to comment?
When seconds count the police are only minutes away!
Guess it took them 15 mins to find parking!!. Remember on a Friday George Town is extremely busy.
Heard from people at the bank that it took the police 25 minutes to get there!
Would only take 5 minutes walking…
Persons in the bank saw them, one lady customer ecaped from the bank out a back door an ran across the road to the McDonald restaurant, but was puzzled why that door was left opened..
It is not left open…..it is an emergency exit!! Like duh!!
were they masked or unmasked?
Can’t you read???
The original story said "unmasked". The story above has been updated since then.
No I cant. What did you just write?
yes
The Police were unmasked, Bank Tellers were masked, no one knows about the crimnals…