Robbers wore party masks
(CNS): Updated 5:30pm – Police have now released descriptions of the three armed men who robbed Butterfield Bank (Cayman) on North Sound Road this morning. Police said the gunmen were all wearing Halloween party masks one of which was said to be of the US president Barack Obama. The three suspects are all described as having dark complexions and were wearing dark clothing. During the robbery which occurred around 11:20am staff were threatened and one shot was fired into the ceiling before the robbers escaped with an undisclosed sum of cash. Although police did not reveal how the robbers made their escape road blocks were set up in the surrounding area and the Air Operations Unit was deployed in the search for the suspects. (Photo Dennie Warren Jr)
The RCIPS said only one of the three men appeared to be armed with a handgun and although staff were shaken and one was taken to hospital no one was injured. News27, reporting live from the scene in the immediate wake of the robbery interviewed a wtiness who was at the ATM when she heard a sound within the bank. When she looked she saw everyone was on the ground and knew it was a bank robbery. She said she ran away and called 911.
Butterfield released a statement this afternoon stating that it was unable to confirm official details but that the Compass Banking Centre was closed for the remainder of the day. "We can report our staff and customers are safe and that the Banking Centre is secure. Butterfield management is working with the RCIP and will continue to provide updates as they become available. The safety of our staff and our customers is our number one priority, at this time," the bank stated.
The bank went on to say that a formal communication will be released to the press as soon as additional information is confirmed.
Anyone with any information about this crime should call George Town police station on 949-
4222 or the confidential Crime Stoppers number 800-8477(TIPS).
Category: Headline News
With this many robberies in such a small community, sooner or later two lots of robbers will try and hit the same bank at the same time. I’m looking forward to that.
hey i saw this movie, it was called Heat with Clinton Regan and Bush Sr doing the robbing. Thank god there was no shootout in the streets and that’s because in our case, the police aren’t on to them after the first robbery like in the movie. The RCIP’s slackness in solving the last robbery might actually have saved lives this time but what about the next? obviously these bastards are brazen enough to fire in aq crowded space.
We should change the penalty for bank robbery to LIFE in a Cuban prizon. Give Castro the 80K per annum for each of them. we’ll help out the Cuban economy and ours at the same time.
honestly though these people all have friends and family who know what they are doing. it’s time for us to consider some serious laws for those who give material and other support to these types of criminals and then no one would then cover for them.
Commonsense where did you get your facts from as that source you have referred to is so not authentic.
87 Bank Robberies in Jamaica ?? You need to get your stats from the Jamaican Police Stats then you will have an authentic argument.
Also why is it that there must be a Jamaican in the mix? The same thing was said about the CNB robbery in Savannah and it was not true.
These remarks are only divisive. We need to realise that that position does not help the country what we need to see is the coming forward of those who know who committed these crimes and a stop to shielding them because they are "fam’ly"
I think the comments the poster was responding to were divisive. You need to refocus your attention.
The robbers were in the Bank for approx 4 minutes.
The Police arrived 14 minutes AFTER the Robbers had fled.
There were 21 persons inside the Bank at the time.
The Police said that they would interview Witnesses "in a couple of days", and not immediately, when events are still fresh in their mind.
We don’t really want to catch the criminals. Too much work for the Police, and the Judges are just going to let them off easy anyway, IF they get convicted.
Our new Motto should be:
" From Pirates we descended, and into Piracy we shall descend. "
The police has got to do better than that, arriving 14 minutes after the criminals left, when the police station is only five minutes away. Not good enough. The police needs to get up off their behind right away, jump in their cars and go to the scene with backup team comming behind, that is the way it should be done. But they waste time, asking people what they Blas&^% name where you live and how old they are, instead of moving. Leave the questions for someone else to take and pass it onto the police backup while they are on their way. We need intelligent police officers, not school leavers looking for a job. Well!!.
We did not descend from Pirates, but I agree that celebrating piracy can lead to a pirate mentality.
Dont hold your breath waiting for the Police interview – I spent 90 seconds face down in Fidelity two months ago and I’m still waiting for the police follow-up call…….
Did it really take them 14 minutes after the criminals left the scene to get there? This is sheer worthlessness on the part of the police.
They are less than 2 minutes away with sirenes blaring. Takes me two minutes to drive from Poluec Station to there. They could have ran to the scene and made it faster than that. Someone needs to seriously check as to why the response times are so slow.
BUT this is not all about them businesses need to take a step back and say "am I doing my part to protect my business from smash and grab style crimes". "Is my property properly lit?" "Am I covering all the angles when it comes to what I can see from my cameras?"
The only fact you got right is that there were 21 people in the bank, the rest is bull.
Interesting!
I believe we shoud be spending money on making the place more secure not wasting money on a big unnecessary vehicle for Julie to do island tours.
She should be ashamed to be seen driving this vehicle.
Dear Bank Managers/Owners,
Word of advice – Implement the following measures at all your bank locations and this will stop this bank holdups dead in its tracks.
Isolation Box
Please have built a box of approximately 7’ x 7’ around your entry doors. Please make sure all sides are bulletproof including roof. Please have internal door on a buzz in system with buzzer in hands of security which is now located inside the bank. Please have external door rigged with remote lock.
The box is rigged with cameras from all directions. There are also cameras outside the buzz in door pointing directly at the door. All of these cameras MUST be state of the art with high def quality images.
Processing Clients
You are not trying to do something that makes your facility too ominous but only create a safety net (buffer if you will) between your clients/staff in the bank and the potential robbers. As clients enter the box they are immediately buzzed in should no one be wearing any mask of any sort. You are not trying to do anything more than that otherwise your facility will become frustrating to your clients.
What do we know
The robbers are entering the banks already wearing their mask because they do not want their identities known. Saying that if they enter the box security would not buzz them in and they have no recourse but to try to leave. Now because the security has a remote lock on the front door they can trap the robbers inside the box. So the box now becomes the holding cell for the police. Box now serves as buffer and a holding device.
So let’s say they do not mask up until inside the bank then their identities will be known to all as cameras would have tagged them from the cell and into the bank offer many angles of view.
Once inside and the robbers initiate their intention the security should remote lock the front door. The hope is that the robbers run back into the box and forget to hold open the internal buzz in door. This will mean they can get trapped exiting the facility. Even if they do escape you will have a lot of photos of them.
I would also install cameras in the parking lot and especially pointing outward from the entry door.
I believe this is the most effective means of preventing robberies. I really don’t see too many criminals wanting to enter the facility without their mask because this is smash and grab tactics taken a step further. They want to be in and out fast. Any means to slow them down is a good thing and allows the police that much more time to get to the scene.
I would never suggest that we go to the level of having security with weapons because I think this would say too much to the world. This little system which is not tremendously expensive is a lethal weapon itself against this activity.
One of the advantages of the entrance boxes you describe is that people are only allowed to enter one at a time and if anything looks suspicious the suspicious looking person can be left locked in the box until the police arrive. In countries which have such systems the criminals prefer to rob restaurants and grocery stores as the banks are far too risky.
What I want to know is…where was president Obama at the time? How do we know it was a mask? I hope RCIPS are checking his alibi.
like the way you think.
It’s this sort of approach that we need to solve these cases.
President masks?? Sounds like a certain 3 people have seen Point Break one too many times!!
The Ex Presidents.
Keep the public informed!!! It can be quite effective in solving crimes. That hit and run accident was solved in no time. I received a BBM on the incident and before I knew they had a suspect lined up.
Release the footage asap!!!
Helloooooooo…..Mr. Baine, how is your 3 year holiday in the sun, sand and sea. Have you got enough tan on your XXX ? Let us know when your’e coming back. Bye………
Did it really take until 5:30pm for the police to release descriptions of the robbers? If the robbery occurred at 11:20am and there were credible witnesses on the scene, couldn’t the police get on the radio by 11:45am to let the public know what they were looking for? Us law-abiding citizens represent literally thousands of additional eyes that would assist the police immediately after something like this occurs (not by confronting said robbers but to report any suspicious persons/activities matching the description). Six hrs later who can remember seeing something as special as a dark guy wearing dark clothing unless the halloween mask was sticking out of his back pocket
ok in exactly 2 months we have another bank robbery by 3 masked men?? What are the odds that they are not the same 3??
This is beyond ridiculous. Honestly the Cayman Islands should be shut down until these 3 are found. I mean when I went out lunch time I should NOT have been able to go about my business as usual without some form of road block, spot check or anything.. We are a 22 X 4 island!!!
Seriously, these thugs are getting very smart and very brazen. They are clearly scoping out these targets. Banks need to be very vigilant and pay keen attention to all their branches and beef up "security" at the more at risk locations.. I am beyond confused at how these guys can get away??? The police station is 2 minutes away, they had the helicopters deployed.What am I missing??
We need to bring the hammer down and believe you me I will suck up any inconvenience in order to have these guys captured because someone WILL get hurt. It is just a matter of time.
Absolute silence from the Police Commissioner……………………………….VERY unacceptable!!!!!
I said it before, that when mask are sold in Cayman, the persons need to present an identification in order to purchase. How hard is that to do.? The Government need to inforce this simple law. The community need to be more responsible.
Keep your day job, Einstein
There are not many jobs for patent clerks in Cayman.
There is but one way to eliminate these daylight heists, ARMED GUARDS WITH PROPER TRAINING AND 357 MAGNUMS. These thugs have no fear, but I assure you if the guards were equipped properly, no more robberies, guaranteed. Also, how about the explosive money bags that explode with this aweful paint that you can’t wash off!
sounds like a recipe for a gun battle in the lobby
And innocent bystanders will get shot in that gun battle….
No. This sends the wrong message. What we need is some better management at the banks. With all these robberies and no attempts by the banks to protect against futurte robberies they can only hold themselves to blame.
Sad,really sad…But why "little Jamaica?" Is crime only in Jamaica? People need to stop the sarcastic remarks & try to come together to think of a way to stop these robberies occurring in this place i call home! No wonder foreigners are taking over,common sense is certainly not common here!
The only way you can stop crime in Cayman is to look out for Caymanians make sure they all have a job to go to and let the money circular in the country and stop letting it fly out in all direction, how can that help the economy recover when we keep bleeding the economy, Politician please look at how you are destroy this beautiful Country and turning peaceful people into Criminal. Stop it we put you there and we will move you the time is here we are suffering in our own Country your back is almost again the wall stop it.
This doesn’t explain why people with jobs, also steal. Crime is a choice and your logic is misguided. Did Jesus steal?
These people are pros and knew exactly what they were doing. Whe should really go in the movie business. So many good scrips are written every day beginning with our politicians. We used to be called the island that time forgot. Now it’s the Island everybody wants to forget. And no I did not mean to be funny. Reality show ? Hum
Thrue so thrue. Want to hear a good one . I live in savannah, I get a call a butterfield bank was robbed. Thought it was the one where some of my good friends work. Jump in my vehicule and put the pedal to the floor. made in to town in 10 min. max, drove by the waterfront to Delworths back up eastern ave to the swamp and then back towards the roundabout by ALT. (after I found out wrong bank) pedal to the floor back to Savannah. I DID NOT SEE 1 POLICE CAR. I can prove it I got no ticket. The helicopter kept, circling, circling and circling. Did not bother to send someone to check on that speeding vehicule. Roadblocks everywhere, Give me a Break
19:25 What exactly were you trying to prove anyway?
I agree. I was passing the bank at 12.20 which was one hour after the robbery. It wasn’t even traffic!! I am not sure what road block they are talking about ???
When they robbed the West Bay Cayman National Bank few years back, it took 2.5 hours to get to work. Checked everyone’s car and the trunk. That was a road block.
of course, then they ‘arrested’ young West Bay boys who were sent to prison without bail, despite stating innocence, no convictions and they finally convicted completely different person….not from WB, not even from Cayman, I believe, not sure if person had status
the one 3 months ago…arrested ‘light skinned WB’ who was on his way to a governement office when it happened
so watch…claims that these had dark skin, watch who they quickly arrest before Friday night!!!!!!!!!!! yett hey cant even get to the scene in reasonable time and interviews postponed
Notice when we had the English officers here there was a lull in crime?? hmmmmm
What a sick MESS!
Thanks! You gave me a good laugh for the day!
The nature of these incidents need us to all sit down together, irrespective of party affiliations, to deal with the problem.
It would be nice if the opposition makes the move to sit down, constructively, with the Government and come up with joint ideas to deal with the new cancer spreading in our society- namely crime.
The same goes true for all residents as blaming one another is not the answer.
Didn’t you hear? In response to the Opposition overtures, the Govt. has indicated that it has no interest in sitting down with the Opposition to discuss anything.
The RCIPS said only one of the three men appeared to be armed with a handgun
What did he shoot with then his winky?
Is it just me that doesn’t understand this comment?? The ONE that was armed presumably did the shooting with his GUN NOT his winky??
He’s highlighting the point that the RCIP’s said "appeared to be armed with a handgun" as opposed to "was armed with a handgun."
My interpretation is that witnesses reported that one brandished a handgun. That does not preclude that the other two were also possibly armed.
I think the poster was concerned with the "appeared" to be armed with a handgun. Although, absent a qualified eye witness to identify a handgun I would have to be satisfied with appeared until a proper identification can be made.
You know what is really funny the people involved with the CCTV deal and The Chamber of Commerce is also involved with Crime Stoppers kind of speaks volumes does it not, yet things are not improving crime wise is it just another day in Caymanistan
so true They also have a Security Company too >> Its putting security in one basket.. crime looks it pays ..them
Here we go again. The chopper is up and looking spending our money and getting zero results. Did the guys get away in an airplane or another chopper? It would seem that would be a time to use it as the Air Support Unit is a big money pit and has had almost zero results catching anyone on the ground. How about getting GROUND SUPPORT, oh wait then there would be a chance they would have to engage a suspect that is armed.I wonder how long it took for the Police to arrive at the scene. How far can someone get? These thugs are running circles around the Police. I compare this to an Olympic Gold runner being chased by someone without a leg. The Olympic runner would not even break a sweat getting away and nor do any of these robbers! You can cheer for the underdog but this is beyond funny. Just wait, x-mas shopping will start – FOR EVERYONE!
The CC-TeeV is just another joke for some govt & private officials to make Big money ain’t going to fix this problem. Too many foreign police with little or no local knowledge Too many local corrupt police still in the force who simply do not care. Politicians more interested in SUV’s & 9 million dollar shelters and looking after their "Peeps" What a recipe for impending doom
Our laws force banks to hire ineffective security guards with whistles, radios and cell phones. No match for today’s criminals who are armed with serious weapons and discharging rounds as they commit crimes.
Again, I appeal to our legislators to change the laws to allow for armed guards at certain places like banks. We need this immediately!
If private armed guards are not desireable then these duties could be conducted by off-duty police officers who opt-in for these assignments. This would be a win-win for the businesses (more effective protection) and for the Police (allow hard-working Police to supplement their income). Govt wins too because they can take the credit when crime rates decrease and the business environment improves.
Tough times call for tough decisions. If these decisions are not taken it will be just another day in Adsurdistan.
WHERE IS THE UDP. I can remember when the premier use to blame the PPM for every offence the was committed in this country. also ELIO use to be on the radio tearing down the PPM whith the premier. NOW MR BUSH AND MR SOLOMON WHO IS NOW RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CRIME NOW. i for one will hold this goverment responsible for all crime as you did the PPM. I hope that when you go back on the radio you will tell the country what are your plans to fight crime
Mac should be demoted to a security guard at the bank….unarmed!!
This is very simple.
Step 1. Keep the door locked
Step 2. A guard stands at the door
Step 3. The guards lets people without masks and guns come into the bank
I must say I’m sorry that a few people seem to disagree with your comments. It seems to me to be a VERY sensible idea!!. I’m sure a well trained security guard on a locked dooor would at least have a chance to stop a group of 3 people all coming in at the same time, ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE WEARING MASKS!!!!!. CCTV works if the cameras are on the outside walls of premises to show approaching "customers" to someone actually monitoring the screen. Now in the UK all the expensive jewellry stores have their doors locked at all times and you have to wait to be let in so they can see who you are.
Step 0 (if your "plan" were to ever succeed): Install bullet-proof glass for doors and windows. If I were a guard and was threatened with a gun through a locked door that wasn’t bullet-proof, you better believe I’d place my safety above my employer’s money.
Yes and then said guard get’s capped in the rear…robbers enter bank while guard defends himself, staff and customers by showing the robbers his middle finger. This is a damn joke!
Must have watched Point Break on TV Last Night
Or HEAT
maybe Cayman will kick itself off of the schedule 3 listing?
CNB – done
Fidelity – done
Butterfield – done
Next?
As a FCIB customer I’m worried!…..or will it be Scotia…if I were a betting kind ofperson….or the manager of either bank, I’d beef up the banks security and insurance AND purchase a bullet proof vest for myself and the staff.
When are the idiots who run this country going to properly train and arm security guards??? Will that be after the whole island turns into one BIG SLUM????????? The time is NOW, you stupid people!!!!!! GAWD!!!
Agree with you completely. However, FYI, a previous commissioner convinced the previous government that bullet proof vests were dangerous and needed to be outlawed. Making it an additional crime to commit a violent act while wearing a bullet proof vest I could be argued for but why would you remove a defensive only item from the use of law abiding citizens to have absolutely no impact on crime.
The policies and thinking of these commissioners are unbelievable idiotic.
Where is Baines is the question, not the UDP. They are not the head of the Police Service. You cannot leave the monkey’s to watch the bannana farm!
Baines needs to explain without the need of a road map on what is going on. No more red tape, round about circle talk.
I hear that one of the masks was of a real robber!
Well at this rate, folks shouldn’t put too much worry into their roll-over status, if this keeps up, Cayman will be beggin’ people to stay to make up for the tourists who will no longer consider this a "safe haven."
Such a pathetic shame…
THERE ARE NO BANKS IN JAMAICA HELD UP AT GUN POINT
If the Bank robbers are all in Cayman, what do you expect.
Its not Caymanians doing these robberies. They would have told their friends long time. This is professional and the police is aware of this too. So what we do now. Stop sleeping on the job.
That’s because they would get there asses shot, so why not come and do it here where they can get away with it. I am not saying there may not be Caymanians involved but my bet is a Jamaican is in the mix.
Probably cause they know that if they try that kind of crap there they’ll pick up shot and no questions will be asked! Cayman needs to get with the times, enough of this foolishness ’bout "we don’t like to see police with guns cause it’s not what we are used to"…remember there was a big stink with that some time ago when whomever it was decided to let some more of the regular cops have a hand gun?
What an ignorant thing to say. Here are the search results for bank robberies in Jam. According to the countries website their have been 87 bank robberies this year and 833 murders. dont just post stupid unfounded comments.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=&q=jamaican+bank+robbed&sourceid=navclient-ff&rlz=1B3GGLL_enKY405KY405&ie=UTF-8#sclient=psy&hl=en&rlz=1B3GGLL_enKY405KY405&tbs=nws:1&q=bank+robberies+kingston&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=&pbx=1&fp=6c786525ecdfe8a6
Actually, as at 26th October there were 1,100 murders in Jamaica for 2010.
When idiots do google search they are definitely poised to get idiot results. Maybe you should try the advanced search!! GIGO – have you ever heard of that term?? Look it up!! – here’s a clue – the 1st word is garbage!
Wasn’t Fidelity robbed on Government Payday? =O
This is the system created by the current UDP Leader and the current Immigration Board leader. Yes they suppressed their own people in their own Island, let in all the riff raffs without proper screening, then they allowed the employers to make all the foreign workers Key employees, without earning their title and then they clogged up the system at the top, so there’s no upward mobility, for the educated Caymanians. Then they have redundancies and the "lazy" born Caymanians are laid off and the paper Caymanians are kept on, because they are friends with the managers. Hence, we have out of work people, starving babies and a situation of no way out is created. What then must the out of work people do, if there’s no jobs, no one caring, no food, no work, no money? They cannot fish no more, the foreigners don’t give them work because they are "lazy" Caymanian. Then the robinhood mentality starts to take place here. Rob, Rob and Rob! Its sad, true and McKeeva and Sherie are to blame.
I have to say that I am a UDP voter and I am always amazed of how everything is UDP fault. I was wonderign which government put the country in a broke position? Would you be able to answer that please.
However I do agree that my government once elected has only helped its friends and kept maangers that caymanians have written against with valid reason…. I do also know that this is not only how UDP operates but so does every party – call no name hear no blame.
what I would like to ask is who were the security guards at the CNB robbery? who were the securtity guards at the Fidelity robbery? and who were the security guards at todays robbery?
Loving Dear!!
"I have to say that I am a UDP voter and I am always amazed of how everything is UDP fault. I was wonderign which government put the country in a broke position? Would you be able to answer that please"
Blaming the party in power is par for the course in politics. It is certainly what the UDP did when the PPM was in power. When crime started to rise it was the PPM’s fault. Now it has not only risen but has escalated under the UDP reign. You have provided one good example. There were a number of factors which led to Cayman being "broke" not least of which was the decline in revenues of $20m due a worldwide recession. Yes, the PPM overspent on the schools in particular but at least it was on needed infrastructure not ridiculous spending like on Boatswain Beach which also helped to put us in the red. Not only did it cost some $65m but it costs some $10m annually in subsidies.
"However I do agree that my government once elected has only helped its friends and kept maangers that caymanians have written against with valid reason…. I do also know that this is not only how UDP operates but so does every party – call no name hear no blame".
Not true at all. Whatever the PPM’s other failings they can in no way be compared to UDP cronyism. There was no one in the PPM calling the Boards to tell them how to make decisions on particular matters. There was respect for the rule of law.
CNB was one company, also bear in mind CNB was robbed when they had a branch on the water front years ago and a guard was shot in West Bay. Fidelity and Butterfield are another security company , both of those banks use the same company
Replying to :Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 11/24/2010 – 17:05
*SMH*
Don’t worry, I’m sure the ambulance will arrive for you shortly.
This violence problem has been years in the making.
It is not a UDP versus PPM issue.
An entire generation (40 years plus) of Caymanian politicians is responsible.
So so tru I have kids at home & tha oldest is 4yrs. old an I am seeking a job but things are so hard the economy is gone down so until things start 2 pick back up there’s goin 2 be a lot more robberies goin on. I just hope and pray 2 God it does very soon because if not there’s goin 2 be a lot more robbing goin on cause people got to live & eat.
Iam so sick of my own people complaining about expats taking "our" Jobs. Get off you asses and get an education or some motivation!!! Both my wife and I grew up right here in cayman both 4th and 7th generation Caymanian, and both VERY poor. We both went to college on govt paid scholarships and both now make a very good living. Her in a firm and myself by owning several businesses. Every year I advertise in the paper for caymanians and offer training and in six years I havent hired one Caymanian that has lasted more than 6 weeks because "physical labor is not for them" or 12 bucks an hour working a cash register cant pay the bills. Guess what SOMEONE WILL TAKE THE JOB!!!!
SICK AND TIRED OF PEOPLE THINKING THEY ARE OWED SOMETHING BECAUSE THEY WERE BORN HERE>>>YOUR NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!
Can you get your message accross to as many people, as fast as you can, before we are the island that time forgot – again?
If more people thought like you, we would NOT be going through what we are now. No country in world provides the educational opportunities to its people, that Cayman does. But like all opportunites, they need to be recognized and taken. Moroever, an opportunity is just the beginning, a chance, the rest is left up to the initiatve and discipline of the taker.
It sucks that you are unemployed. From your misguided rage, it sounds like you will need a full semester of counselling before anyone would think to hire you. Good luck with that.
This is where my wife and I do our banking and where is the outrage from the politicians?
They are too busy with their big deals than to worry about trivial things such are bank robberies.
The politicians should hide their heads in shame.
I read that this week the Legislative Assembly is supposed to deal with a new Dormant Accounts law. I think it would be better if they dealt with Dormant Politicians instead.
Until our lazy a$$ politicians do something to create real deterrence the crime spree will continue. The politicians need to stay in Cayman long enough to pass laws to double the sentences for violent/gun crimes, to do away with parole for violent/gun crimes, to mandate consecutive sentences for violent/gun crimes and to reform the Northward Hotel. Until those things are done there is no prospect of law and order being restored in Cayman.
Though I agree with you that our MLA need to do something I’m afraid you are off track in what should be done. We saw the previous government increase penalties and introduce mandatory sentences and violent crime continues to rise in spite of these new laws. you could make the penalties life in prison or even execution and the crime spree will still continue simply because there is no fear of being caught or for that matter even encountering resistance. The laws that need changing are those which hinder citizens and security from being able to defend themselves.
The police are unable to prevent these crimes, unable to protect us but don’t want us to protect ourselves and seem unable to catch or successfully prosecute these criminals. We have to stop fooling ourselves that the police are going to make a turnaround on their success. The crime spree will continue as long as the pickings remain easy and successful.
Oh no not another strategic overview or another "isolated incident" according to our Specialist Supt Bodden, poor old Mr Baines the same old incompetence same old leadership doing the same old foolishness. What a real shame Cayman has slipped over the edge. Some folks need to terminated Mr Baines you figure it out.
What has happened and continuing to happen in the Cayman Islands…my home and the only place that I have lived!! This is the 3rd bank robbery for the year!!
I agree with another poster, use the security system that customers have to swipe there bank cards to gain access to the banks, and the door locks automically once you have entered!
It is also high time that the security officers and the RCIPS be armed with guns, and hopefully this might deter these robberies from taking place.
We need to clean house at Immigration and get the Task Force and RCIPS involved and out into the community and round up and get rid of all the "undesirables", as I am sure there are people on work permits who are living here that don’t have work!!
A simple double door system with 2 Security Officers and bulletproof glass, where the 2nd door is always locked and access to customers is only granted when opened by those Security Officers would be a simple, cheap and effective method to deter such events. Better still, the same system with a button that Security can activate to bring down the first door on the Robbers as they enter would trap the Robbers right there, nice and easy for the Police to come and pick them up.
I mean, I know many of us here are suffering financially, but certainly not the banks, and they are best positioned to be able to avoid this.
In fact, I can’t believe they didn’t put more secure systems in after the first bank robbery – its not like we didn’t all know more would follow – that’s just the way it seems to work here I’m afraid to say.
Thats just dumb. Not everyone who enters a bank, has accounts there and holds cards to get in
"Not everyone who enters a bank, has accounts there and holds cards to get in" .
True but masked men should definitely not be allowed in.
Brilliant social commentary. Sad that it is so accurate.
Whatever happened to the CNB (Countryside) robbers? Does anyone know? The rumours about Northsiders being involved were rampant at the time but silence since.
These are the same crew my friend.
The next bank or branch might be RBC (lil small branch) down by Grand Harbour.
All the RCIP (Armed of course) need to do is stake out in unmarked cars at these areas from 9am-4pm Mon-Fri and Sat at CNB in town & BoB at Gov Sq on 7-mile beach. And that’s all!
I must give them my feed back about "How’s the RCIP doing".
Next step is for properties to have outdoor cams placed outdoors and round the surrounded areas to help protect their assets and customers. This too is lacking on many of them. They too dam cheap.
Where is the CCTV footage… of outside the bank too!!!
Do we have to wait for weeks for this to come out too?? So we forget what people were wearing that day, where the people were etc
CCTV cameras might not be the ‘be-all-and-end-all’ but any little helps, right?
A lot of good CCTV footage did in the other robberies. It is a waste of time, do you think you are going to see the US president walking on the street. Remember the fairly good image from Margarita ville?
This commissioner is pushing for these like the previous one did for the helicopter. Expensive over hyped tools for our conditions. but any excuse is better than none. The CCTV system in London is extremely expensive and practically useless in deterring or solving crime.
I think there is some onus on the banks themselves to take better security precautions. Banks are wide open in Cayman and I have always been surprised that this is the case, especially in such a violent country.
Banks very rarely have locked doors, thats not good for business, whats good for business is to round up all of these useless clowns and put them away. Im so mad that I cant even think right. Now its time for all Caymanians to put on the breast plate of pride and demand that the Governor, Chief of police and Premeir do something now. Enough is enough.
Give the RCIPS a chance they have an eye witness on the outside everyone knows who she is and they had a chance to respond quickly. Maybe the witness saw the means the robbers used to make their escape. Even now the RCIPS might be running down these culprits. They (RCIPS) cant be totally ineffective all the time.
I been preaching: proactive policing like stake outs. Police Comm says – waste of time. Does he still think, with his 0 percent success with all these robberies that it’s still a waste of time?
Just two days ago I was thinking: this lull means the planning of a huge robbery. Yup. it happens today. Now lets watch the patterns unfold: smaller robberies…possibly tonight, tomorrow etc…I believe is part of a system to fustrate and bogg the system down with work. This pattern happens everytime. Now these patterns are as clear as day….but no stake outs. 50/50 chance officers will be at the right place or close enough when something is happening, so that response times can be quick and you are bound to catch or see something – like a getaway car etc.
Like I said…burning up the yellow tape seems to suit the police…oh and of course: Anyone with information please come forward. Absolute mess we in man.
Then our leaders….are they flying again? Probably. Boy this is sad.
a co-worker stated that she was driving through the road by Welly’s and noticed a guy riding a bicycle, jumped off the bike and over a fence with a frantic look in the face, wearing a creme pants… I think she said a polo styled shirt as well..
Anyone keeping track of how many of these armed robberies there have been in the last couple of years? And how many have been solved?
I agree that security at the banks needs to be increased. In other countries they have a doubleset of doors, so you’re stuck between them with a camera on you while you wait to be buzzed in by the security guard. If you’ve got a mask or gloves on you’re not going anywhere until the police come. If you don’t then the camera gets a clear shot of your face.
And what about silent alarms in the cash drawers? Alert the police, give them time to finish their donuts, without tipping off the robbers that they’ve been called.
The banks do not want to install silent alarms, why should they?. I blame the banking system for not doing enough to protect themselves against these robberies.
I blame the Police for not checking out certain areas.
I blame the UDP Government of not having control of this small Island.
I think you will find all banks have silent alarms. A lot of blame there and none directed at the criminals, interesting.
with police being raised while the robbery was in-progress and two MASKED men get away…what a complete SHAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Trust me, if they get away….the Comm. Police should resign. Something tells me the yellow tape and stand around at the scene was very mcuh in-play. At one point I saw the helicopter hoovering over and near the bank. I am sure they were having a friendly chat with the officers on the scene: They are not on the roof…over. Copy..over. Could you move a little and see if they are behind the building..over. Copy Over….what a wasted bunch. Totally fustrating!!!
I think it’s unfair to say welcome to the new Jamaica as these things do not only happen in Jamaica.
These thugs are scum and so are their family and friends who protect them. Welcome to the new Jamaica.
Why is this the new Jamaica? Is it only in JA that you have crime and violence. Crime is everywhere and if we as a people don’t come together to fight this monster, well then yes, it will become like Jamaica and everywhere else where crime is a najor issue.
Let me tell you something. It is only from Jamaica that I hear such disgusting music filled with robbing, murdering drugs etc. That’s what’s destroying our younger generation.They bring in the drugs, the guns and add the music = violent crime.
Anyone that thinks this doesn’t make sense please listen to some of this music and let me know what you think.
Being a Caymanian of intelligence, I choose NOT to listen. Therefore, it has no influence on me whatsoever. Nor do my children listen to it because I know every song on their Ipods. Stop blaming other people for your shortcomings.
Maybe, just maybe if the parents of these kids would show an interest in the childs education then maybe these Caymanians would actually pass something at school instead of passing through the gates after 5 years. Then they could fill all the jobs that are being taken up by expats.
Instead what you have is school board that makes Life Skills, R.E., P.E. and other rubbish subjects as core subjects. They also propose that Caymanians do an AQA exam where A-X is a pass. No employer worth his salt is going to hire anyone with AQA. Another thing, why have they removed Biology, Chemistry and Physics and replaced it with useless Integrated Science in the high schools. Is is any wonder why there are so many unemployed Caymanians out there? With no skills or ambition, all that would be left is a life of crime and that is what we see here in Cayman.
" Wellcome to Cayrock, where the thugs rob banks and buss shots."
Town Cryer, every Caymanian Child out there will not be as fortunate as we may like. They all cannot, and will not be Bank managers, Indian Chief and Police. Manywill have to sweep the roads and move your garbage every monday morning. Repair your car tyres, plant mangoes, and bananas. Go fishing and sew clothes. After all if there were not anyone doing those simple jobs, tell me what would happen. I look at the young man picking up my garbage, or the fisherman to be just as important as my bank manager. It is an honest job, which tells me that there are leaders and there are followers.
Those doing the thumbs down must be a relative or friend…
Those are conscience doing thumbs down, encouraging crime. Drinking Cayman milk and kicking the cow.
I recalltimes where Cayman drank Jamaica’s milk and now we are kicking the cow. This is coming from a pure bread born Caymanian. Funny how we forget huh???
‘Welcome to the new Jamaica.’
Welcome to the real world and stop with the Jamaica thing already!
These things are happening all over the world!
We all know that its the hungry belly Caymanians that are doing these robberies. The same ones that rob the Pizza Hut down by Savanna, and scribbled, we want jobs on their last robbery.
"Wellcome to Cayrock where the thugs rob banks and buss shot"
Town Cryer, you speak of hungry belly Caymanian?. I know you are out of your mind. Do you see or hear of any Caymanians all over the globe begging and soliciting jobs to feed their hungry belly. You cannot be real.
aaaaiye, my friend, this is what we get from "nation building"!!
Wha ya wasn’t told, but is unfolding in front of our eyes, is the negative impact of a quick-fix, corrupt and greedy system!!!!
Brace for impact – the worse is yet to come!!……sadly
Nation Building? Blame the Premier for that. He is busom buddie with certain Caribbean Island, Nation Building criminals into Cayman.
I beg to differ we are not the new JAMAICA – We are the Cayman Islands and we will always be the Cayman Islands…. But there is a wordign int he BIBLE is says be carefuel what you say your mouth is a weapon – my friend dont cast your mouth on your country….we maybe being exposed to a lot now but this too shall pass. just hold the faith for your country keep the smile onyour face and know we are the CAYMAN ISLANDS …… LAND OF SAFETY TO BE IN 2011
LOVING DEAR
Here’s an idea: perhaps the banks should consider using the same locked-door system that they do for the ATM entrances — all customers wanting to come in/out of the building will need to use their bank card to swipe their way in. Customers that don’t have cards will have to buzz-in, at which point a security guard can view the customer via a security camera and then open the door for them.It may not prevent ALL robberies, but a would-be-robber would be deterred from the extra security measure.
You have got to be kidding… Are Cayman Islands the World’s Financial Center or third world country luled by criminals?
This is a good idea for making the banks safer but it will likely just mean that the thugs will turn to jewellery stores, grocery stores and other places which are not "hardened". What is needed is a system which will deter most crime and will ensure that those who ignore the deterrence get locked up and stay locked up in a harsh prison for the first crime they attempt to commit.
13:53 The bank is not going to take your advice of locked-door system as is done for ATM. Now do I have to tell you why not?. Not even in the USA is banks being robbed more than in Cayman. Who really cares anyway? Do we hear of any Bank robberies in Jamaica or any neighbouring Caribbean Islands? No. Well I dont blame the police, I am blaming the Premier and his Government for allowing these criminals to envade us. Dont fool yourself into thinking that the police dont know where they are from. They know, but they are professionals, and paying security guards is a total waste of money. Not one of them sees anything or hear anything.
It’s just a matter of time before someone innocent gets shot and killed. It’s also just a matter of time before this reaches the tourism sector. After reading about how a partciular cruise line pulled a certain destination off of their port call because of an incident of crime against a tourist, it just goes to show what a negative impact something similar could do to Cayman. As I’ve said so often before, it’s time that TRAINED police AND security guards be provided with firearms, and I’m not talking about non-lethal ones either. These robbers need to start getting shot. Imagine, yet another robbery in broad daylight and at a busy location. As we would say … "dey nuh easeh!"
Yea,give guns to security guys, you have got to be kidding… Small group of criminals is making fun of local police… lets get all ermed, erect steel bars and lock all the doors….how many international business will be left here?
"Give guns to the security guards", are you nuts? Think about it, and come up with a sensible answer.
Every time a story hits the internet the story has been read by millions of tourists.
I wonder if the two cowards who robbed the bank are the two that robbed Grand Caymanian and possibly Margaritaville. Is one skinny and the other one heavy set? Hmmmm…one has to wonder.
Watchy again, you dont think it is not the same persons robbing the banks? Yes it is. But it is Christmas time, and this is nothing new. Every year this time, people are let into this country with Fifty US dollars in their pocket. Given one month by the immigration and another month extension. what the Hell you think is going to happen? They are going to do exactly what they came to do ROB. These robbers come in here from October and stay until February. The Immigration is not doing a good enough job in interviewing these people at the airport. That is where the problem is.
If it’s our own struggling Caymanians doing the robberies then who will you blame?
Someone innocent has already been shot and killed. It has already reached the tourism sector. Yet very little appears to be being done to stop it.
The UDP Govt and the Governor should be put on a boat and sailed out to sea!!!!!
They are as useless as dust in the wind!!!
Don’t blame the police officers, they are only as good as their leaders and powers that walk around with their heads in the sky.
How much armed robberies does it take before CCTV’s are installed along our streets?
How much serious crimes has to happen before they realise that our Immigration, Customs, and Marine enforcement is in-effective?
How long will it take for present Govt to DEMAND a bettter equiped enfocement and protection within our Islands?
Has our Govt ever heard of the word "TECHNOLOGY"…………probably not cause that would mean spending money without kickbacks.
We surely have a bunch of do-do birds running our country – thanks to the "stups"!
CCTV’s have been installed in the government car park at the back of Immigration.
cctv would make no difference…i’m sure there was plenty of cctv in and around the bank today…..as long as you were a disguise there is nothing that can be done….
rambling on about cctv is just an excuse to not deal with the real issues….
CCTV’s will be USELESS until the RCIPS decides to grow up and live in the real world by releasing the photos the same day (or ever in the RCIP’s case), as other real world cities do.
There is no point to CCTV’s unless the actually use them, and by all indications RCIPS will not do that for some weird reason, as you can tell banks are getting robbed, gas stations getting robbed and no photos are being released.(remember Savannah…hmm…).
By Insulting the police that they need to grow up and live in the real world is not going to help solve any crime. Asking for footage to be released same time is also difficult. Have we considered that the police themselves have to look at the footage first. How many of us have helped by identifying /seeing the footage of these robberies when they have been released before, or is it that we just want to be enquisitiveand nosey.
Are you kidding me? These two Bandits that is running around the place robbing down the island. If it is caymanians they are doing a good job at conceiling it because they chat nuff! OR perhaps it is a foreign individual. Are the police checking the money transfer units for people that are sending money out fequently or travelling frequently. Perhaps appealing to the public for individuals that are purchasing things with substantial cash. Somewhere, someone knows something! Is there a pattern with the previous robberies? Day of the week, time of the day, suspect description, accent, getaway vehicle (if any), direction in which suspects made off after crime? Perhaps use a map, pin point each location that has been hit in the past 2 years or with two suspect, direction that they made off, Im sure they all tie together.. come on RCIPS!
You mean Come on Banks. What are all those Bank Managers and employees doing that no one is quick enough to just press 911 and put the phone down so the police can at least listen to what is happening. Today is Government Pay Day. Come on. Stop sleeping on the job. Why is large sums of money being kept in cashiers register? . Why isnt there a foot button installed to step on when the robbers ask the first question? Why dose’nt the banks install an alarm system button that rings outside by the door. There are more questions than answers for the bank. There are no answers because there is a word called INSURANCE.
Police investigating these crimes should check on larges sums of money being sent away. Does that person have a job paying that amount?
Sorry to say but the police is foot dragging on their investigations also.
Now… will the Commissioner of Police arm and train Police Officers. Or, we are just gonna have to listen to his UK-ZEN of wisdom on the dangers of having armed officers here! No where in the world do you see criminals making a joke out of our policies!
Why wouldn’t you rob a bank here? Absolutely no chance of getting caught!
Sadly, you are so right. Already, the marl road is saying who is involved, but as with CNB and Fidelity no arrests will be made. So the real question to be answered is "Why aren’t they getting caught?"
a) Incompetent police
b) Connections with the police
c) Friendships with important people
d) All of the above
Not that it seems important to anyone, but Cayman is supposed to be a respected financial centre. Given our size, such events are incredibly destructive to our society / image. Once we lose the financial industry, what will we offer? Does anyone even care?
Conch and Turtle meat anyone???
The Robbers robbing the Banks, while the legislators in the LA robbing the Caymanian…what a mess!!! No justice all around.
accountants are lucking accounting skills, police is incompetent in catching criminals, judges are unable to convict criminals and nobody knows what to do with mountain Trushmore..
I think your ‘a’ button is connected to ‘u’.
I think your ‘a’ button is connected to ‘u’.
When is Cayman going to take this armed robbery problem serious? All establishments that handle cash should have ARMED security guards. Or at the very least the banks should. Then and only then will these robberies stop.
Yes armed security have prevented any US bank from being held up since their introduction
Dream on
So how many bank robberies have happened in the US lately? Probably not as many per capita as Cayman. Such a small population and so many robberies. Obviously we are doing something wrong. There is absolutely no deterrent at all in a bank. Just walk in with a mask and do your thing. So easy eh? Don’t you think an armed and properly trained guard with a 12gauge shotgun would make a big difference? I for one know it would. Because the criminal doesn’t want to die, it’s not in his agenda.
I hope they gave them the $2.46 in my savings account. It’s been sitting there for five years now and I don’t want Mac to get his hands on it.
*hi five*
Omg this is so scary i cant believe what this lil Island has come to 3 banks rob in one year .
I really hope they catch these worthless bastards soon. Is there police at the airport, in the dikes, on the water, they need to be everywhere right now. There’s no use standing around at the scene. They are gone. Could it be the same people that got away with Fidelity. It’s going to continue and people are going to be killed in these robberies.It’ not going to just stop these people have to be caught and punished, not only for the robbery but endangering so many people lives. RCIP you have been doing good, now be great and catch these people before someone loses their lives to them. It could be you or a family member. Please anyone out there that knows of this and whose involved please come forward and help the police before it gets much worse. If you know something you are just as bad. We need to come together and get these criminals behind bars NOW!!!!.
Its starting to feel a lot like Christmas
Jackass!
Hope that they have recorded video,I heard of the robbery and im on the caycompass webcam,it has good view of the parking lot as well of the surrounding areas. come on Police..
The webcam does not record footage although yes, the ones inside do (had better).
The camera’s inside the banks do record and they are kept on 24/7 and are going to be used in the RCIP’s investigation as I work in that bank.
I’m glad you and your colleagues are OK. Thankful to God!