Arrests for tourist mugging

(CNS): Three men have been arrested in connection with the Bare Foot Beach robbery, in which a couple visiting the Cayman Islands from the United States was robbed in broad daylight on the beach in East End on Monday, 7 February, around noon. Police said the men aged 20, 21 and 30, were arrested this morning on suspicion of robbery following an early morning operation in the East End of Grand Cayman and remain in police custody while enquiries continue. As part of the same operation another man was arrested. He is in custody on suspicion of possession of drugs. The drug concerned is a small quantity of, what is believed to be, crack cocaine.

During the incident the man and woman, who had parked their hire car in a pathway off the Queens Highway next to Barefoot Beach, were threatened by three robbers while sitting on the beach. Police said the couple was suddenly confronted by three men who all had their faces covered by t-shirts, two of which were armed with a baseball bat and a knuckleduster. One of the men grabbed the male tourist, placed him in a headlock and demanded cash and the victims handed over a wallet containing a small amount of money. As the suspects were making off from the scene they smashed the window of the couple’s hire car with the baseball bat and stole a camera.

While details of the incident were not immediately released by the RCIPS, the couple described their experience on a tourist blog site, and after enquiries by the local media, the RCIPS confirmed that the robbery had taken place the next day.

Detectives in Bodden Town are once again appealing for anyone who has any information which could assist the investigation into the Bare Foot Beach robbery to call 947-2220 or Crime Stoppers 800-8477 (TIPS).