George Town bank robbed
(CNS): Updated 4:45pm – Police have now confirmed reports of a bank robbery in George Town at the First Caribbean Bank in Plaza Venezia, off North Sound Road, today. Two masked robbers entered the bank armed with handguns at around 11:35 this morning, Thursday 31 March. Officers are now on the hunt for the two men, who threatened staff and customers as they demanded money. The suspects made off from the premises with a sum of cash taken from two customers. Police said no one was injured and no shots were fired in the incident. The suspects left the location on foot headed towards the direction of Jacques Scott. The bank said that the branch is expected to re-open for business tomorrow. (Photo Dennie WarrenJr)
Police uniformed and armed officers attended the scene in the immediate wake of the report and secured the area. The RCIPS helicopter was deployed to assist in the search for the suspects.
Both suspects were described as dark-skinned males; both were wearing dark-coloured clothing, long pants and long sleeved shirts. One of the suspects was wearing a black knitted mask while the other was wearing a white-t-shirt over his face. One of the suspects is described at 5’11 to 6 feet tall and slim-built, and the other is approximately 5’5 and medium built.
It is also understood that the robbers held a firearm to a security officer’s head as they made their way inside the bank.
Managing Director Retail, Wealth and Small Business for FirstCaribbean, Tom Crawford confirmed that no members of staff were physically injured during the robbery. However, counselling services were called to the branch to assist members of staff who were shaken by the ordeal.
"Naturally, our first consideration is for the safety of our staff and we are thankful that they are all safe and unharmed. We have called in professional counsellors to assist these staff members and we are doing all we can to assist the police with their investigations,” he said, adding his apologies for the need to close the branch on Thursday.
This is the fourth bank to be hit in the last year, and so far none of the bank heists have been solved.
Anyone with information into this incident is asked to contact Detective Sergeant Joseph Wright
or any officer of the George Town CID at 949-4222. The detective is keen to hear from anyone
who was in the area at the relevant time this morning and may have seen the incident or the
suspects fleeing the scene. Anyone with information call the confidential Crime Stoppers number 800-8477 (TIPS).
Category: Headline News
A man was convicted of illegally owning a shotgun this week and merely given a suspended sentence. What a disgrace. He should be doing several years in jail.
Here is the link to the story.
And I thought we were getting tough on gun criminals. This sends a message that secretly hiding guns and ammunition is OK. I know we had to get rid of the 5 year automatic sentence, but 3 years should be the minimum for this type of deliberate breach of law. I hope the Crown appeals sentence.
http://www.compasscayman.com/caycompass/2011/03/31/Ex-cop-sentenced-for-firearm/
Can any police officer who is a CNS reader please tell us anonymously why it took 15-20 mins to arrive on the scene? Most people on island guess that its because the police are unarmed and the bandits are not. I can understand that – nobody wants to get shot just for a paycheck. If that really is the case, then the time has come to train and arm the police force. Times have moved on, and sadly the bandits are forcing this as they know they won’t be confronted with guns so they are laughing at the moment. Police officers what are your views? Is the police commissioner really as out of touch as he appears, or is something holding him back as well?
His methods of dealing with crime keeps him employed…
And your methods would result in more dead officers and innocent members of the public.
Oh yeah, I forgot, yourmethod is work really well and the crime rate is going down… smh
I keep saying they are late to arrive because they do not want/are not equipped to deal with a hostage situation should they show up on time, nor do they wish to be shot at, down at the OK-To-Rob-the-Bank-Corral.
Now that the robbers know this, there is no stopping them. This is going to become an every day event. There is nothing and no one to stop them it seems. PATHETIC!!!!!!!!!!
Perhaps we should serve the robbers tea and scones while they wait or perhaps a massage as we know they must be so stressed out financially tohave to resort to this… how about a new car to help them get away fater in… GAWDDDD!
There is now a short list of banks which have not been hit yet. You would think someone would do something about this before some innocent client is shot dead by the robbers just for walking into the bank at the wrong time, or a teller who sneezes infront of a trigger happy thug!! And when it happens I hope the stupid/idiot in charge don’t say something as lame as “it was a shock…we cooperated fully with the robbers, we don’t understand what happened, the safety of our clients and staff has always been #1…Mr.Ms was such a nice person, RIP…blah, blah, blah. USELESS!!
Talk about lying down and giving up!!! People, please!!!!!!! DO SOMETHING!!!
I am the one who said "3,000 status grants, that’s what happened" and guess what…I don’t have status. I moved here 10 years ago and started a Cayman Exempt Corporation to run my business from the Island. I just can’t run it on the island (aka can’t compete in the local economy). Before I came my Wife and I had to get our police clearance certificate from the county we lived in to submit for my work permit to move here and work for My Company. I have paid over $15,000 per year in work permit fees and Business Licence fees every year for the past 10 years. Several years ago I filed for Key Employee Status for My Company and received it. I bought a home. Last year I applied for and received PR. At the end of this year I can be naturalized. Then I have to keep paying my work permit for another 5 years before I can apply for status. I will have paid the CI Government over C$225,000 by the time that happens. Not to mention countless hours in community service. I stuck to the plan and am doing what I am supposed to for what its worth. I was buying in to my dream. As you know 3,000 status grants where given out. I’m glad some people got their time discounted becuase of who they knew. You all know how it went down. The fact is there was no background checks from the recipients home countries. So tell me why two sets of standards? How are you going to attract people like me when your own government leader is selling Caymanian Birthright? Caymanians have every right to be resentful. They have been "sold out" by their own and people like me have every right to be upset that I didn’t get what I was buying into being peace, security, stability which by the way = stable property values. You can’t be selling tickets at the front door while your letting your buddies in the back door. The law has to be applied.
Xenophobia is at such high level on this Island. We’ll see how well everything holds up when the foreigners exit with their wealth. Yes, things will certainly improve when we remove all those expact. The US (and other countries) regulations are circling the wagon on the island, and England is dying a slow death. Property taxes will be a Must in the very near future. The government will need to raise cash… Crime will become the norm. People will do what they have to do to exist. Don’t be naive and protect yourself(install an alarm) and assets. Start with holding your savings in American (or Canadian) $$$ . Just my opinion.
American Dollars? Ha! Ha! Ha! You too funny! Get your head out the hole and buy silver like everyone else!
Ultimately, lead is the commodity investment which protects their silver and gold.
D.W. ….. always ready for a shoot-out
Well, I’ll hold the US dollor over CY (or British pound) any day, but I do agree… The Canadian dollar is in much better shape than the US. Gold and silver have no real usage (that’s all bubble), you’re better off buying the Canadian $$ and get the natural resources behind your sail. But I have to agree, holding the US $ isn’t saying much, but comparing to CY or the British pound, I’ll take the US any day.
Listen many of those guards are paid a low salary, made to sign a disclamer that no overtime will be paid that many many companies do. SO they have to work 80 hres. per week @ say $6 per hour for a mere $480 per week. Unarmed and often tired because they don’t qualify for that. Actually I always believed that many Caymanians and or retired Caymanians would be best because we know most people and as was said before many of us are very observant and would do a great job. However we have to do with that disclaimer of no overtime as we cannot afford to survive if one as a family or has to sacrifice quality time with their family. I NEVER liked that loophole that many use and is part of the problem why we import cheap labor. To them that$3.50 to $6 per hour once sent home (again we lose) can afford their family a descent living they were never afforded. AND they better not complain or your out of here. I was told that many times. To touch briefly on the minimum wage of $5 suggested by Mr. Roy I am certain his intentions are good however I believe the minimum wage should have different categories for differerent positions and Please make the loophole illegal. And don’t tell me it will drive the cost of business because people will be employed and will spend theirmoney here and not staying 4 to 6 in a room in sometimes having to take shift to sleep in the same bed. yes my friends slavery still exist as we see it, but it also affect us and the Country in many ways. On this I pray someone is talking notes of what I just said. I did not make this up , I was told that many times by those same persons.
Everyone has choices. If a disclaimer is given and it is signed, then at least it is being done legally. If you don’t like the way things are done, go home, no one is forcing you to stay here. Many of you are observant and would do a good job…don’t make me laugh. The Police Force itself is made of mostly of expats, so there you go about Caymanians doing a great job. The Police pay a good salary, so what is your excuse there???? How come they have to recruit overseas? Because….the majority of Caymanians don’t want the job or can’t do the job.
If they don’t sign they don’t get the job. Get your head out of the sand or your …. Caymanian don’t want or can’t do the job ? The reason you came here in the first place is because caymanians were laid back ! then they became branded lazy after they would not be given a chance yes maybe some are lazy but not the majority. People like you are in management positions and can’t be bothered to hire locals. because they won’t put up with your Bulls…. and you would rather bring in your buddies and have no respect for the same place that give you the chance to work. The police have always recruited from overseas for them being neutral not only because we can’t do the job or maybe because they don’t want and their change of advancement is limited Your problably hiring and exploting those people for nothing and for your info this is michel’s home and more then you will ever be and yiur the one that needs to go home. it is people like you that are giving cayman a bad name or let me guess a bartender maybe it takes a lot of experience to mix drinks you ungrateful hypocrite.
I really doubt whoever was doing the job would have been able to prevent this from happening…after all the security guard had a gun put to his head. But there is always someone out there, who has to "justify" on why this happened. Lets see, was it a Caymanian or a foreigner who did the robbery? It seems the majority of arrests are of Caymanians, so are you saying Caymanians are doing a better job at robbing places? LOL
I don’t get it Michel. Some ignoramus thought your comment funny. Nah, there isn’t slavery in Cayman just folks on work permits owned by their employers working for subsistence wages. And domestic helpers working 14 hour shifts without overtime or a pension. Nah there’s no slavery.
Why don’t you check and see how much Government pays for security, then you can come and make the statements you are making.
Closed circuit won’t help with t-shirt over the face, dark complexion, medium build approx. 5′ 7" . That is 30% of the whole island on a hot day
There were cameras but they weren’t working……
Boy, them closed circuit TVs can’t come fast enough, but of course they are help up in red tape like so many other important things here.
Just this week I was in Scotiabank downtown, and whilst standing in line, I was visually checking both entrances and doing a quick mental threat level check of every individual who walked through both doors…along with determining cover and/or exit routes if anyone came in that appeared to have ill intent…making good eye contact with persons who approached me and in general giving the impression of, " I am NOT someone you want to f^&K with"…at the same time, a UNIFORMED police officer was standing at the counter next to me..doing PERSONAL business…and guess what? Not ONCE did he look around…he just stood at the counter…chatted with the teller…flirted a little..did his PERSONAL business…and LEFT…didn’t greet the security officer, didn’t make any eye contact with any of the other customers..NOTHING….and for the record..this officer was not local…believe me…I know the difference…So, arming police officers who have NO IDEA of tactical or situational awareness..is a waste of time…
Firstly, I believe in the US 2nd Amendment.
Secondly, regarding "situational awareness," I agree with you.
3000 status grants with no background checks…that’s what happened
I asked the ministers to do background checks, but they told me as Caymanians they can do as they please and give status to whoever they choose. They said, as Caymanians, they are accountable to no one. The fact is ONLY Caymanians can give status out and they did so to their friends and extended families.
You know something? I am one of those "3000 status grants" and I am highly offended by your insinuation (look it up) that I am part of the crime wave here because they didn’t do a background check on me.
I am not a criminal and any background check will show that.
After your government gave me citizenship, I invested in the Cayman Islands and made this my home. I don’t send my money home because I live here.
In return, I am treated like a second class citizen. Once a Caymanian hears my American accent on the phone, he/she immediately becomes rude to me. Once a Caymanian sees my white skin, he/she immediately starts the rude behavior towards me. I am not allowed to complain about anything. I have to make anonymous statements on CNS because I fear for retaliation. I am bumped from flights to make room for a Caymanian. I could go on but I’m sure you get the point.
Why would I stay here and take this? I will be like many of those same "3000 status grants" and leave as your citizenship is simply not worth the abuse anymore.
Your comment shows how uneducated and unintelligent you really are. Problem is, this is how most Caymanians are.
It has to be said that perhaps in other countries, when they hear your American accent, attitudes will change so I don’t think this is unique to Cayman. Americans are not the most loved people in the world. I have lived in Cayman for 5 yrs, have white skin & a Canadian accent (what ever that is) and have never encountered rudeness like you say you have. Just my 2 cents worth.
Yes we get your point. I believe however that you are wrong here that most Caymanians are prejudice. I am an expatriate leaving here for 35 years and I sailed for many years to many Islands and Cayman was the most friendly place by far. If you are one of the 3000 with nothing to fear then why worry. I am a little concerned about your attitude on your comments and if you conduct your life towards others the way you do here I am certain that you have not made many local friends. Had I conducting myself the way you do now, my situation would have been the same as yours and I would have had to leave long time because you are right about one thing we don’t care much about been bullying around. And we don’t judge a book by it’s cover only it’s content. In your case what is in your heart. Probably a good idea not to sign your name as I believe you have just offended many and some are not as forgiving as myself. God Bless you.
Well said, Michel! Thank God for new Caymanians like you and that you did not leave that buffoon to represent the expat experience in Cayman.
Dear Status Holder,
1) Correct, being one of the 3,000 does not mean you are a criminal. You do have to admit that not doing a background check on those 3,000 individuals really was not a good idea. You had to realize when you get something that easy there will be a “cost” eventually. But I’m interested in knowing if we were such nasty people to you, why did you want status to begin with? If you really believe what you are saying I can’t understand why you bothered to apply for status or accept the grant.
2) Bumped from flights – One of my parent is from Cayman Brac and the other if from Grand Cayman and I’ve been bumped off the plane going to the Brac. Do I assume it becase Im a half and half and they don’t want me there or here. NO!
3) When I speak with my Caymanian accent to a non-Caymanian they usually zone out and look blank and ask me to repeat what I just said. No, I do not assume they hate me, or think that I’m stupid. I figure they do not understand the accent and/or my culture. So I try my best to drop my accent and provide them with something they understand better. Usually works.
4)White Skin – So are you saying all Caymanians are black and racist? Please read “Founded upon the Seas”. My appearnce is very pale with freckles and straight hair brown hair, what does that make me? My Scottish boss said I could fit in anywhere in Scotland, but I’m a Caymanian.
5) Anon postings are used by all and sundry.
6)That last comment, reminds me of the phrase “pot calling the kettle black”.
You need to destress, relax and be nice. If you smiled more often, complained less, showed thanks and appreciation for what you do have, people might treat you differently Just a thought. If that does work try finding new friends.
Remember to BE HAPPY! That comes from the inside.
Well wishes from a Caymanian. 🙂
Status holder:
Yes, everyone knows that not all status holders were criminals but we know taht some were. Just like all Caymanians aren’t ignorant but some are.
I apologize for the Caymanians that treat you wrong. Are you a 100% sure they are Caymanians and not status holders? Most Americans can’t tell the difference in the accents. I’m a Caymanian and I thought for 12 years the Principal of my son’s school was from Jamaica and then found out that he was from Barbados. No matter who they are, I hope that it stops.
Anyway, I really don’t want to get off on the Caymanian/status holder thing but please try to understand that it left a very bitter taste in the Caymanian’s mouths. Even expats that were here for years and saw people get status that had just arrived on island. This I know for a fact because I know the people.
Why on earth don’t you just simply GO HOME? Maybe you’re just simply uneducated and unintelligent, or maybe you just simply don’t HAVE a home?
Your comments show how uneducated and unintelligent you really are. Problem is, this is how most Americans are.
Thank you. Now we know why you chose to call Cayman home over the United States.
It is wrong for you to be treated in the ways you claim to be. If those people work for government agencies, you should name the agency.
It’s sad to hear that you feel you have to speak anonymously.
For the record, the “3000 status grants” were not granted properly, in fact one recipient (that we know of) was in prison at the time he was granted status. Thatis the reason why people express their concern about the said status grants as they do.
While it’s sad to hear how you’re being treated, I’m not trying to justify it in any way when I say that Caymanians are equally if not more abused in this British Colony than yourself. Watch the video at the following link to get a better understanding of how the UK, helped by the USA (globalism), is mistreating the people of another British Colony: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3667764379758632511#
Also see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chagos_Archipelago
When a people are colonized, do you really except them to be as educatedand intelligent as the colonizers? Sir/madam, think about it. I respect your right as a new Caymanian to enjoy the legally qualified political rights you now have here. I would however, suggest that we try harder to understand and respect each other.
A little history lesson: why did you volunteer to be a British subject in colony; a system the US Founding Fathers rejected? The world is no more civilized today than it was back then. Example, back then they wrote anonymously also. Is your life better today in another British colony? I would like to sit and chat would you offline sometime.
CNS – please be politically correct – this is a case of suspected non-politician double dipping. – actually do all of our politicians have an alibi for that time?
Of course they do! Wa wrong wid you bo-bo?! They weren’t even on-island! 🙂
I was trying to refrain from commenting but maybe if I had followed that small voice two weeks ago, there may have been a change in security. No, probably not.
You see I went to the bank and I was sitting in my car for a while on a call or something and the security guard was off to the side engaged on a cell phone call and I thought to myself well if that doesn’t take the cake, what exactly is he guarding his cell phone? It was a prolonged period, so much so that I though maybe I should call and report him. But trying not to be the busy body, I decided not to perhaps be responsible for someone losing their job. Now I much regret taking the passive route, and realize that I am a part of the problem, we all are. We are all too busy to notice or care, too scared to do anything, too tolerant with mediocre employees and services. We need to stand up take notice be a part of the solution.
Police be warned, businesses be warned, I will be calling every time I see the least suspicious activity, every time I see the slightest infringement of security duties, be it a cell phone call while they are on duty, a chat up with the sweetie they see walking cross, a bounce of fist with their yardy or church partner. Whatever, I am sick of the state of my beautiful islands and I will be reporting all of you, una, brethren, peeps, gansters, wangsters, hoodlum wannabes. I am going to start calling on everyone! We have to take notice and start weeding out the criminals that are committing the crimes and the criminals that are allowing the crimes to happen.
Notice now. Very well said and I am of the same opinion. My wife and I while on a trip to Miami, one to tampa and in a mall in Fort Lauderdale we could have been victims 3 times. WE were followed and had to lose the one in the malll going out thrue a major store and hiding behind shelving while doing so. The one in Tampa while going for breakfast in the restaurant’s parking lot. My wife asked me to move because 2 guys in a car looked suspicious. 10 minutes later Police came in the restaurant and asked who was the owner of a certain car. They stole everything they had as it was their last stop before going to the airport. Another time we were followed by a car for at least 15 minutes while I was trying to shake them off. Morale of the story, be aware of your environment at all times. I only regret we did not tell the manager of the restaurant at that time becauseit could have been us. Yes sir we must report any suspicious activities or characters so we can watch ALL of each other’s back. Specially here in Cayman now. The Police can’t be everywhere and I have called them before recently and they had to go need deep in vine bush. I apologised for they found nothing, but their reply was better safe then sorry and thanked me.And I am certain that many have similar stories.
Must be the CIA after you.
Your crime activity looks just like what goes on every day in large US cities. My question is- how did you (ever) keep them under control, especially without guns? What happened?
Interesting comment. But surely the point is, ifthis goes on every day in large US cities, where the police ARE armed, then having armed police must not make any difference?! Don’t look now, but I think your argument just left without you…
Interesting comment, does anybody know which are the states with less armed crime?
Those that allow concealed carry of weapons to responsible citizens……
I’m not proposing that but I think your argument is weak too…..
There is another, and more obvious reason for the states with the least armed crime.
No bank got knocked over in my US city yesterday…nor the day before that. Bank robbers are almost always multiple offenders who keep doing it until they get caught, go to jail, and then start again if you let them out. You may have just two guys doing it all.
CNS: maybe you can help as I see two different answers here regarding the arming of security. Is it or isn’t it against the law for them to be armed?
It is most certainly against the law to arm the guards… they are not even allowed by law to carry handcuffs, straps, ties, and most definitely not mace or pepper spray This is a decision created by law and not the security companies that the guards work for, it would be nice to spare a minutes thought for the situations these chaps put themselves in for the public whilst completely unprotected.
It is NOT against the law to arm security guards. When I get the time, I’ll prove it to you.
Dennie,
This is always what we get from you ‘It’s not against the law, but I’m a little too busy to offer any evidence to support my statement, even though it flies in the face of all the other evidence that states it is against the law.’ Please tell us what you know that makes it legal, or stop with the comments, because they are not helping us. I’m not saying you are wrong, I’m saying you need to offer clear supporting evidence/legal sources which prove you are correct.
Re: "Private Security Services Bill, 2007"
The excerpt follows:
And clause 21 provides that a licensed security guard may be authorised by the condition of his licence to carry specified weapons.
Now, Madam Speaker, I seem to recall that there was some concern about this particular clause, although we have not had any official communication from anybody. But I know there were some concerns about the scope of this clause. So, clause 21 provides that a licensed security guard may be authorised by the condition of his licence to carry specified weapons. However, such persons must first obtain the requisite authorisation under the Firearms Law.
Clause 21 (4) makes that quite clear. I think for completeness I had better read the entire clause 21 (1) and then (4). It says, “21(1) Without limiting the generality of section 7(2), the conditions of a security guard’s licence may authorise the carriage by the security guard of such weapons (in this section referred to as ‘authorised weapons’) as may be specified by en-dorsement, under section 7(2)(a), upon his li-cense.”
Section 21(4) says, “Nothing in this Law shall be construed as authorising the importation, dealing with, a firearm otherwise than under and subject to the Firearms Law (2006 Revision).” Meaning, Madam Speaker, that simply by vir-tue of being a security guard will not entitle one to be able to carry a firearm; one still has to satisfy the Commissioner of Police under the Firearms Law—as he is required to do now as we speak—to be able to be issued with a firearms licence. So, what the provision does in 21(4) is to re-move any implication that, by virtue of standing up as a security guard, will authorise one automatically to be able to be issued with a firearms licence. You would still have to satisfy the Commissioner of Police under the Firearms Law that you are a fit and proper person to be issued with a firearms licence. That is the posi-tion as we speak today, and this Law does not change that. What it does is reinforce that position.
Madam Speaker, that deals with clause 21 of the Bill.
Now, in the future, I hope you will hole the Commissioner of Police to to the same standard you hold me.
Source: Hansard Report of the Cayman Islands Legislative Assembly (2007/8 Session), page 452: http://www.legislativeassembly.ky/pls/portal/docs/PAGE/LGLHOME/BUSINESS/PUBLICATIONS/20072008OFFICIALHANSARDREPORT.PDF
Thank you Dennie. This should answer all questions. I’m not the original poster but I definitely wanted to know about this.
Its not against the law if Commissioner Baines issues a carry permit for the security guards. There is a law that the security companies can apply…but really, be realistic here, he isn’t going to do that. He won’t even arm his own men!!!
I dare say some of this is because the banks are not investing in securing the banks properly. You would think after the first 2 or 3 robberies they would RAMP up the security measures but no it’s business as usual and I’m not sure what it’s going to take before banks start to get serious.
We want to put all the responsibility on the backs of the police but truth is businesses have a responsibility to provide as sound security measures as they can.
I am not one to make comment about something without offering a possible solution.
Here’s a solid solution and some banks are already half way there.
1) Bulletproof your windows to the outside world. For a bank this cost is minimal at best.
2) Build an internal box around your front door made of bulletproof glass.
3) Install an inner door for people to be buzzed in by security who are now located inside the building not outside waiting to be victims.
4) Install cameras on the outside of box looking into the box from various angles
Here’s how it works. The front door (old front door) is open as usual. Clients open the front door and are allowed past the second door by virtue of a visual scan and walking through an area with cameras. No mask, glasses or anything else disturbing you get buzzed right in. You got mask, glasses or something looks off they are detained and NOT buzzed in.
The security can go one step further by remote locking the old front door behind them.
The only way to get in and rob will be to reveal who you are and you still run the risk of making a mistake on exit that could have you in your own personal cell.
Please note all banks that I am aware of todate the robberies came from outside with mask on. No one wants to take the chance of being seen by someone who knows them.
Now. FirstCaribbean at Venezia is already setup for this with their way clients enter. All they need do it to have the inner door a buzz in door and robbers will think twice, three times….well a lot of times about robbing there.
I’m not sure if main branches will need it. With the exception of Fidelity I believe all thehits have been to subbranches. Now when they can’t hit subs will they turn to main? not sure. It will take more manpower to manage a main branch because of the sheer volume of people inside the bank.
I believe the buzz in system will deter 95% of the bank jobs and the other 5% shoudl be caught by police.
Fortifying the banks makes the banks safer not the rest of us. When the banks become fortresses the criminals will rob the retail stores down the street or people in their own homes.
The answer has to be in two parts – catch the current thugs and lock them away for an extremely long time, prevent the development of new thugs.
For Gods sake! Cant people on this beautiful island stop trying to destroy it? THIS INCLUDES EVERYBODY LOCALS AND EXPATS INCLUDED!
This is why I dont bank on thursday’s.
Is McKeeva Bush going to blame someone else for this crime problem which has escalated under his watch??? He needs to go…now!
I think I am the dumb one here. I guess a small lull meant the police thought their job was done. no more robberies.
Honestly…two nights ago i said to myself, they are planning a big robbery again. Why can’t the police see this?! Why aren’t stake outs carried out? Why are they not willing to try something different? Why are they not catching anyone red-handed? Why is Police Baines not fired yet? Why are robbers having a field day? You do not need a gun for everything. If for example, an unarmed officer was on stake out, or close enough to respond to a call of a robbery in-progress…why can’t his goal/mission be: follow or meantain visual until armed officers and the helicopter can respond?
I mean to tell you this is a crying shame man?! I play this scenario out in my head: that branch, like many others, has small hidden desk areas with staff out of view. You want to tell me silent alarms can’t be triggered by them…or even a phone call to whisper to 911: robbery in progress at so and so.
The Police is about one – two minutes away in a straightline almost (down elgin avenue to the stop lights)…these men left on foot…likely running for a bit to a get-away car….jacques scotts is behind there….and why no results?! our Police has the yellow tape fever…..let’s get to the scene and put up our happy tape. Never mind that the robbers could have ran behind the building and be an employee of one of the other stores in there and simply ran to a back door and simply sit inside and laugh at them at the bank. The point is: the approach/strategy/MO for responding to these crimes – like robberies, has got to be multifacted: respond to the scene but also, quick thinking on the feet and shutting down roads, running to nearby businesses and premises immediately to see if anyone saw anything with the view of trying to capture red-handed. The criminals know…if we just get to a car or the next buidling 🙂 we safe.
Why are the leaders not pressing the Police for results?!!!
I need some top-of-line brew ya tonight….this is a mess ya man.
I can assure you, Johnny cake, if you’ve thought of it, so have the Police. Some are a lot cleverer that you give them credit for. There is a huge gap between suspicion, and the proof needed to stand up in court.
yeah i thank ya for your lil words of wisdom…but ole friend…I don’t know how much more proof ya need if you got bags of money on ya, a mask, a gun or in the get-away car?! I mean it’s fairly difficult to say you did not have sex, if you pregnant…..otherwise i will start looking to the east-ward and the three wise men.
If no capture is the level of their cleverness, dog got our supper…
Way my blue mountain brew is?
Now you listen to me Johnny Cake! I know its April 1st, but who you tink you is? You goin on bout tree woise men and vergin bert, when all I sayin is dat knowin some one did a croime, dat not seeme ting as provin it! You just keep drinking your fool fool coffey. Man, what a heat!
with that reponse i think you had some of this fool fool coffey….come my way let us wallow in more of it…..you want reason me…hope you can handle the journey.
I never bother reading anything written by someone who believes that "?!" is form of punctuation which is acceptable in adult communication.
You got that far?
oooh…you one of dem. I wonder if it’s adult communication this one truly looking for ya today. You really don’t want adult communication from me…do you ?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (how was that?!!!) are you still reading??!!!!!!!….man go fly a kite.
this one is a maxwell house brew ya.
NEVER????? !
If you were to go into any bank in most European cities & in other parts of the world, most have a secured entry portal that can be controlled by the bank staff. When you enter ( or leave) you can only open the outside door when the insideone has been closed. It is in this interim that both doors may be locked, thereby holding the occupants without the ability to move either direction,behind bullet-proof glass.I saw this over 20 years ago in France, why not here in Cayman?There are of course a dozen other measures that could be taken, but none exist here for unknown reasons. The country is no longer the sleepy island where you can leave your car keys in the ignition & house open, when are the people that make the decisions going to wake up? Its got to the stage now where you cant take your wallet into the bank, nor leave with your cash for fear of being jacked by a gangster in a ski mask and a gun in your face. The thieves have no fear of apprehension or prosecution,even over a handful of cash, which doesn’t say a lot about the law enforcement, does it Mr. Baines?
I am totally pissed and fed-up hearing the same tune, “Not Enough Police Officers” this has been a cry by many Commissioners from many moons ago. How are we going to accomplish our missions in keeping crime down within the Islands. If this is such a grave need, MacDaffi and his Globe totters need to stop spending so much of the countrys’ funds. Travelling looking for gold mines which we never had over in a lifetime but still afforded to pay our bills and be happy without all this Globe trotting.
If it comes to the test, give the commissioner additional funds to employ some competent, honest Officers to protect our businesses and people. In having these actions continue there will be the closing of a chapter to our beautiful Islands
Was this just armed double-dipping?
At least CNB is West Bay is ahead by a hair. They keep the door locked and you must remove sunglasses, hoods, etc before the security guard will unlock the door and allow entry. This way they get a good look at each person entering and the bank cameras can also get a good picture of everyone entering the bank. On a different note it is high time we get rid of McDicktator, JuJu, the Governor, Baines and bring in Scotland Yard Police with several armored vehicles and permit them to “clean up”. Then lets have a new election and get this place back to democracy as it was intended and sanity as we once knew it. This island and territiry is a joke and should be an embarrassment to the Queen and England.
This happens to be where I bank. I know that at lunch time at the end of the month, line-ups go almost out the door. It is ridiculous that security guards are not armed. Unheard of anywhere! And where are the cameras? I know they’re in there! Release the footage and get it on here so people can out the robbers anonymously. And everyone in the bank who was made to get on the floor or were behind the counters should be ashamed of themselves to not come forward as witnesses! These robbers are not going to kill you – they are too cowardly. It won’t happen. Be brave foryour country which is going down the tubes fast.
People stop with the pointing of fingers, Mac, Rcips and Expats, children without both parents and the most upsetting is lashing out on God! Do you ppl actually read over your comments? If you did you wouldn’t submit them, and further more it is our young CAYMANIAN MEN who are committing these crimes. For example you spend most of your time on this site do yourself a favour and go back to recent crimes and you will see that no person that was detained was an expat! XXX And that crap about being raised with both parents and good upbringing…..ah save it because those same ppl you think are normal harding work thats BS! They be having more issues than the lost souls, I know a few well brought up children, who parents still try for their childrens sake and some have become Murders, others sellling drugs or/and hooked on drugs so dont give me that rubbish……You can raise a child to the best of your ability but its that childs decision on how he/she will go about life when they have become an adult…. Thats just my 2 cents for what its worth….and do give thanks to God as he is our Saviour and the reason we are alive!
Probably just two guys bored on their lunch break
They need plain clothed, trained and armed officers/special force at each bank just hanging around and walking around that no-one knows about. So when things like this happens just wait for them leaving and take out a knee cap or an elbow where the effects of it won’t kill just leave them to feel/remember/deal with it for the rest of their life. Enough is enough! I bet when one of them experiences what that gun they are carrying around and destroying this country with can do then the rest of them will think twice, and I mean experience it from the Authority of the country. That’s why I could not be a cop in this place, I have zero tolerance for this – could care less if it was my brother. You live like this then suffer the consequences, simple. Serious consequences for their cime has got to be shown and dealt out, not some slap on the wrist and a lil time in Ensuite Northward – clearly that is a joke and of no effect if we as such a small place can out rank the US, Canada and some other big country for repeat offenders. This was in the news this morning or yesterday. As far as I’m concerned our prison should be like the one in Arizona where the Sheriff has them in tents in the hot sun and fed blogna sandwiches day day out. That would be allot cheaper on the country too!
Not to mention, as small as this place is there are people out there that know and won’t say anything and “protect” these criminals. I’m sure everyone sees that whenever fate catches up to these people you always hear “Oh Jonny was a good guy, he never mixed up in any wrong that I know of and always took care of his family”…yet the picture is clearly some thuggy thuggy image of them! – I’ve gone off topic but the point is I agree the police can do more and should but I also think we as good citizens of this country need to do more as well – peoplein the know need to not stand for this crap, come forward and not let these people get away with it. The benefits to these people is temporary and only impacts a few but the damaging effects can and will impact the whole country if not gotten under control.
Anyway, that’s the end of my rant.
Clearly you do not understand the European Convention of Human Rights to which Cayman via the U.K. is subject to.
Just to set the record straight, I agree with you.
Have the fences around the prison far enough back so that drugs cannot be thrown in to the inmates.
Yeah… Good idea “Rambo”! – Your idea is really cost effective and I can see you’ve given this much ‘tactical’ consideration…!!!
………. I think someone has been watching far too much “Steven Segal, Wesley Snipes & Bruce Willis movies..?
Next time, dont forget to have “Ninjas” hiding in the air conditioning ducts waiting for the robbers just to be sure!!!
Used to be a time if you pissed behind a tree in West Bay they knew about it in George Town. Now you can rob a bank and they cannot catch you. What is wrong with this picture? And: A Cop without a gun is like a raincoat without a hood.
How could a cop with a gun have stopped this robbery, unless he was actually standing in the bank when the robbery occurred? You’re not making sense!
So would you suggest arming people other than the police?
Gordon Barlow you are darn right. How could a cop really have stopped this robbery. Som of the idiot talk from Caymanians on this media make me sick. No sense whatsoever. Give up the grudge against police for peace sake..
Now there’s an idea! Why not let everyone carry a firearm if they wanted to. That way, the csmfs would think twice about against whose head they put their pathetic but still illegal 9mm shooters. Boy, bring me my 1911!!
Can someone please tell me, how is it possible that a 4th Bank has been robbed in broad daylight and no one has been apprehended?
Something is seriously wrong here!
I saw the RCIPS with their lights on standing at a couple roundabouts when I was in town around lunch time. Can somebody tell me how having 1 officer standing next to the car watching the traffic go by is going to catch anybody? Are they expecting to see the robbers driving across them with their hoods on waving a bag of money at them? Anywhere else in the world they would implement road blocks and check each car for suspicious activity. Even if they did findand stop them they would be afraid to try to contain or arrest the suspects because they have no way to protect themselves. XXXX
What???..You robbers get paid at the end of the month too?…Robbers…just don’t deposit your pay in any bank here, if you need in laundered just……never mind……forget it……..
How do these banks get insurance???
No armed guard, just a welcome mat to the robbers and criminals.
But on the other hand, bank employees will quickly harass honest citizens for ID who are trying to cash a cheque, written on their bank, who have supplied their voters registration card as ID. Yet that is not accepted as valid ID because its not a driver’s license or passport. Like they are never falsified!
Bank security island wide is a joke. Their insurance companies should refuse to renew their insurance, THEN just maybe something would get done about identifying these robbers andmaking them PAY!!
That was a ridiculous statement. Do you really believe that it is the banks that choose not to have armed guards? It is the law that prohibits this. Also banks pay an extremely high insurance premium for security for situations just like this one. That is why insurance companies welcome their business. Also the point of providing sufficient I.D may seem a little extreme to you right now but i will guarentee that if it was a cheque drawn from your account attempting to be cashed you would expect a thorough inspection of a valid form of I.D no? Refusing insurance would in no way assist with the apprehension of robbers and i’m still actually struggling to comprehend how you think this is even a possibilty.
Re: “Do you really believe that it is the banks that choose not to have armed guards? It is the law that prohibits this.”
Actually, you are in fact wrong, if a security company wanted to arm security officers with firearm, they could.
Re: “Also banks pay an extremely high insurance premium for security for situations just like this one. That is why insurance companies welcome their business.”
Hmmm… do I really need to explain how the banks are passing those “high insurance premiums” in the form of fees? The public is being is getting shafted left, right and center.
People need to arm themselves and help stop criminal robberies…
"Actually, you are in fact wrong, if a security company wanted to arm security officers with firearm, they could."
hmmm interesting Denny. I’m not the original poster but didn’t know this either. So why are the security companies not arming their guards? Does anyone know?
A good number of the security officers who work in the Cayman Islands have a military background, so they should be armed and stationed at banks. The CoP just doesn’t understand the issue.
And since when has military training provided training of how to undertake a police action in a civilian environment. Look at the long list of civillian casualties caused by trigger-happy soldiers in Iraq, Afganistan and now Libya. No thanks, I’ll take my chances without having armed jarheads on every street corner.
Sorry to disagree with both of you, but service in the JDF, HARDLY qualifies as "military experience", and as a former Marine, your use of the word "jarhead" is an insult to every single person who has ever proudly worn the Eagle, Globe and Anchor!!
Clearly you want to make the point that US Marines are the best trained, but that doesn’t mean that persons who were trained by other forces are completely incompetent.
No Dennie, I was not trying to make the point that US Marines are the best trained…they are, however, SOME, of the best trained…but you provide me with a list of overseas combat assignments that the JDF has participated in, and I will gladly apologize…having said that, I do realize that there are now a large number of former Gurkha Regiment security officers on Island, and I have the utmost respect for them. Perhaps the CoP should take a page from the Singapore police and recruit some of them, eh?? Nah..that makes too much sense… I was more perturbed, however, by the jacka$$ who stated that they didn’t want “armed jarheads” patrolling the streets…trust me, if the Marines were patrolling our streets, you would be much, much safer than you are now with this bunch of jerkoffs that are supposed to be charged with protecting us…..Take this for what it’s worth…HUA!! Oh, BTW…LOVE your use of the qualifier…”Completely” …
I never once mentioned "JDF," so I will accept your a apology.
I have great respect for America and its Marines. However, I do not share the political views of the current president. God Bless America!
I don’t want any military patrolling our streets in peace time. Crime fighting requires us all to play a part, but the problem is that Commissioner of Police does not trust most of the residents and that is not going to work.
Because they would then have to take out HUGE liability insurance in case one of their trigger happy Rambo’s shot an innocent bystander…and as we all know…the "Security Industry" is all about MAKING MONEY..NOT spending it….
Denny
I wasn’t aware civilians could be armed at banks!
Where in the firearms law is this stated
I want to apply to arm myself at my work place which takes in a lot of money each night!
Probably get turned down but if you don’t try………!!!
Re: "Private Security Services Bill, 2007"
Source: Hansard Report of the Cayman Islands Legislative Assembly (2007/8 Session), page 452: http://www.legislativeassembly.ky/pls/portal/docs/PAGE/LGLHOME/BUSINESS/PUBLICATIONS/20072008OFFICIALHANSARDREPORT.PDF
The following is an excerpt of the said report:
And clause 21 provides that a licensed security guard may be authorised by the condition of his licence to carry specified weapons.
Now, Madam Speaker, I seem to recall that there was some concern about this particular clause, although we have not had any official communication from anybody. But I know there were some concerns about the scope of this clause. So, clause 21 provides that a licensed security guard may be authorised by the condition of his licence to carry specified weapons. However, such persons must first obtain the requisite authorisation under the Firearms Law.
Clause 21 (4) makes that quite clear. I think for completeness I had better read the entire clause 21 (1) and then (4). It says, “21(1) Without limiting the generality of section 7(2), the conditions of a security guard’s licence may authorise the carriage by the security guard of such weapons (in this section referred to as ‘authorised weapons’) as may be specified by en-dorsement, under section 7(2)(a), upon his license.”
Section 21(4) says, “Nothing in this Law shall be construed as authorising the importation, dealing with, a firearm otherwise than under and subject to the Firearms Law (2006 Revision).” Meaning, Madam Speaker, that simply by vir-tue of being a security guard will not entitle one to be able to carry a firearm; one still has to satisfy the Commissioner of Police under the Firearms Law—as he is required to do now as we speak—to be able to be issued with a firearms licence. So, what the provision does in 21(4) is to remove any implication that, by virtue of standing up as a security guard, will authorise one automatically to be able to be issued with a firearms licence. You would still have to satisfy the Commissioner of Police under the Firearms Law that you are a fit and proper person to be issued with a firearms licence. That is the position as we speak today, and this Law does not change that. What it does is reinforce that position.
Madam Speaker, that deals with clause 21 of the Bill.
Where do you get your information from about if Security Companies wanted to arm their guards they could? You can waste the money and file the application but really, do you think Baines is going to approve it. What are you stupid he won’t even arm his police force. So get your head out of the sand and get your facts straight.
My facts are straight, but you have a defeatist attitude. Any decision of the CoP to NOT grant a firearm license can be appealed to Cabinet under Section 29(1-3) of the Firearms Law (2008 Revision). If the CoP has wrongly refused anyone a firearm license, the Cabinet can order the CoP to issue you the firearm license, pursuant to section 29(4) of the said law.
Also see: http://centos6-httpd22-php56-mysql55.installer.magneticone.com/o_belozerov/31115drupal622/headline-news/2011/03/31/george-town-bank-robbed#comment-126300
Well hello there Frank,
Yes, the law prevents armed security BUT according to everything I’ve seen recently in the media, the law is just a matter of “who you know”. So&so gets his medical law, so&so owes the government millions in unpaid fees for years, another so&so always get his way with his development ideas no matter what planning law says…the list is endless. So how about some innocent people being protected for a change?
You are correct; changing the law to protect innocent people really IS a crazy idea. (Thick sarcasm, just so you know) 🙂
The banks and the people need to demand this change ASAP. After all if armed guards are good enough for the resident millionaire in his beach palace, then it should be good for the innocent man on the street and his bank. If the people are too scared to talk, the police can’t catch the robbers… then let the security guards shoot them in their tracks. They can be taught to shoot them in the leg or arm or hand, they don’t always have to shoot to kill… even though it might save the government some money. After all it’s the people who pay in the end. The robber, the bank and the insurance company don’t lose. It’s the innocent people/the client in the end will see the increase in charges, fees, interest…
I’m not objecting to the bank asking for valid ID, I’m saying that IF a voter’s registration card is good enough to use as ID for voting and choosing our leaders, then it should be good enough for banks operating in this country to accept as ID. After all it’s not impossible that you don’t drive, you would not have a driver’s license and you might have just sent your passport in for renewal or to apply for a UK passport. What are you to do? Wait for weeks to get your cheque cashed?? Banks can be a royal pain to innocent people.
If the insurance company refused to insure the banks after a certain date, unless they comply with an armed guard requirement, then I’m sure Government might finally get off its butt erdish and put some MODERN laws in place to deal with modern criminals.
I guess you wouldn’t mine being in line at your bank caught in cross fire between the bank’s security guard and robbers? Or perhaps you would feel comfortable that the guards are such sharp shooters that they would be able to shoot them perfectly in their arms?
I share your frustration with these robbers as well but having a shoot-out inside or just outside a bank between robbers and guards or police is not a smart approach.
Finally, Security Guards in most US banks are armed. When was the last time you heard a report on CNN that a robber was shot by a bank guard in the US?
Usually, it is the guard that is shot by the robber.
Okay, then what is your soluition?
Shall we all sit here like dumb Booby birds? Waiting to be robbed at every bank, restaurant, home, school etc?????
Maybe we should all become robbers, since no one seems to be able to put an end to this.
Good child care MAY help curb the number of robbers in the future BUT he have a problem TODAY.
The solution = give your cousin up!
Remember folks crime down? Bwoy we fool eh!
Down by quantity, Up by quality, they just been lounging around planning strategies while Big Mac on vacation (sorry, he hasn’t come off vacation!!!)
Let’s be realistic…there aren’t enough cops to be EVERYWHERE at any given time. There are always going to be opportunities for criminal activity as long as people continue to turn the blind eye.
Yes, I feel that more should be done (and more efficiently) in the way of DNA testing, fingerprinting ALL residents of the islands (permit holders, persons with residency, status holders and born-and-bred Caymanians) and relying more on actual physical evidence than eye-witness accounts.
That being said, a BIG part of reducing criminial activity is the community putting their foot down collectively. I refuse to believe that the robbers – whether one group of persons or a different group each time – do not have relatives/friends/partners/employers/coworkers who do not find that he/she’s behavior has changed recently. Is someone you know acting dodgy all of a sudden? Anxious/Nervous? Straight up weird? In possession of money that seems out of the ordinary? Have their spending habits changed? I mean, they aren’t phantoms…it’s not like they live in the caves and only come out at the end of the month. Someone has to know something. Someone has to have seen a gun, a bundle of cash; Heard a story; Raised an eyebrow at a remark passed.
I honestly believe that persons continue to turn the blind eye because, as we Caymanians tend to do, we do not want to “get involved”…we’d rather pretend we knew nothing and rag on the police for not noticing what seems so obvious to you. Or, worse yet, we know with certainty that our friend/relative/partner was involved in criminal activity but because we either don’t want to (1) slander our “good family name” or (2) we don’t want to be the person who is labelled the rat, we keep our mouths shut…and as long as we continue to do so, the situation will not change.
Friend or not…boyfriend/girlfriend or not…relative or not…someone has to be the first one to put his/her foot down and say “enough is enough, I won’t be inviolved in this anymore!”
I AGREE! Lets just volunteer to have our DNA tested and logged! Then that will just leave the criminals!
Well, it is THURSDAY…
Lets just imagine for a moment that this person or persons are not currently residents.
Yes crimes happen on Thursday, yes in broad daylight, yes most within a 5 minute drive to the departure lounge at the Airport.
Is there a regular flight somewhere on a Thursday around 12:30?
Check in, drop the bags, rob a bank, put you guns in the mini storage, drop off the rental car, clear security, (already got their boarding passes) and you have plenty of time to get on 104 to Miami at 1:00pm and home in time to get the kids from school.
Mum in Westbay gets a MoneyGram on Friday in time to pay the rent.
Gosh Darn It!!
They have gone and messed up the Commissioner’s meaningless Statistics: “No Bank Robberies in 2011”.
On the bright side, Mr. Baines can take comfort in the fact that his perfect record of zero convictions for bank robberies will remain unchanged.
Hear, hear!
If the bloke has the audacity to take credit when there are no robberies, he must then accept the blame when robberies are committed. He can’t have his cake and eat it as well.
you mean his johnny-cake!
Most citizens are just too busy worring about how many trips the Premier makes a broad to take care of the country’s business. They should be marching up to his office to get him to start reducing the crime. Give the security guards guns.
Firstlt we would have to have a much more stern way of hiring these securities. Some of the individuals hired as “security” aren’t qualified for bagging groceries much less carrying fire arms!
We’d probably have more civilians shot than criminals!
"Firstlt we would have to have a much more stern way of hiring these securities. Some of the individuals hired as "security" aren’t qualified for bagging groceries much less carrying fire arms! We’d probably have more civilians shot than criminals!"
Well MER how about you being a security guard? I think that if you are going to complain about every idea then you should do the job yourself.
This has got to be one of the few places in the world that doesn’t have security guards with guns. BTW, the security guards in Jamaica and Mexico don’t make a lot of money either. How hard is it to train them in weapon use? I’ve seen 14year old boys in Honduras handling guns and you are saying that a 40 year old man can’t handle a gun? Notice the banks in Jamaica isn’t getting robbed and we are always comparing their crime to our’s?
First of all I would not apply for a job I am not qualified to take. I know that I have no clue how to fire a gun (although these days I think we all should learn!)
I do not disagree with securities or police having guns, but I think commmon sense would pose that if an individually is to be given a GUN to PROTECT others they should have an idea of how to AIM and FIRE direct and on point as to not accidentally hit the wrong target.
So if you are comfortable standing in line during a heist whilst an untrained security fires his gun at a criminal running past or near you, happy days to you.
No one is suggesting that security guards should carry firearms without training. I’m not. The Commissioner of Police is allowing his personal anti-firearm views to interfere with doing his job properly.
Learning how firearms work and how to properly use them well help you to better understand how to protect yourself.
Person committing crime in St. Thomas, Jamaica can be caught within hours in Montego Bay(opposites sides of the island), Jamaica but this LITTLE SMALL ISLAND with all these ROBBERIES & CRIME and NO body getting caught!!! Wonder what’s wrong???????
We have huge Social Problems and Government start giving Caymanians(those people that have no way to run to because this is home for them) the opportunties/education/skills to do something about it and stop filling all the departments that deal with these problems with Non-Caymanians(people that come to make a living and leave) that more focus on keeping a job/busy that resolving problems.
Only the Lord can help us with these crimes! We need to repent and go to church! Cayman is becoming an un-Christian nation with un-Godly criminals and foreigners! We need to wake up and return to our Christian heritage before it is too late!
Praying is good and following the 10 Commandments is a very good way to live but I thought the Bible said God helps those who help themselves. Meaning we need to do what we can for ourselves and pray, not sit by and do nothing. Real people know who these thugs are and they need to tell the police.
I’m a Caymanian (for many many generations) and I honestly feel we need to stop bashing expats. Not all of us are saints and not all of them are criminals. Cayman has its own share of thugs. Seeing how we don’t have the name of the criminal, how can you go off an all expats? Really!
Pathetic comment.
how can the Lord help. Will he stand by the door with a gun and act as a guard? The only thing that willstop these robberies is a proper responsible family unit where the father and mother are together, do not have dozens of kids elsewhere and instil discipline, respect and values in their children who will grow up to be decent hardworking members of society.
Don’t you know anything!
God doesn’t carry a gun, he has a lightning bolt and will strike down on you with great vengeance and furious anger.
We need to go back to the true story of the bible – we need to go back to a simpler time to when the world was flat, the only blackberries and apples we had grew naturally, when science was ridiculed and when the earth was the centre of the universe.
More importantly, we need to be told 10 rules which we must live by (rules which the rest of the world hasn’t heard of but follow anyway – because it’s a normal way of being a human being – but we need it written down in case we forget).
Right, I’m off to church.
(but which one is the right one?)
We refuse to listen to you if you don’t even know which church to go to. But yet you are going there. We wouldn’t be at all surprised if you voted for Mac. Are you talking about the same God that the bible refers to as a God of Love? We don’t even remember a time when the world was ever flat, and we have blackberries and apples today that not only nourish our bodies but our intellects as well. And they don’t spoil if you leave them out of the fridge. Not bad Huh? We strongly recommend you get at least one of each for yourself. We believe science is still ridiculed, although not nearly as much as it should be, and as far as we’re concerned the earth is still center of the universe. Maybe we’re just backwards. Better get to church (if you can find the right one) before that lightning bolt strikes.
What a joke!
UDP supporter you are a nasty, intolerant, racist fool.
You infest this site with your fatuous, ill-thought-out and ignorant opinions and achieve nothing beyond emphasising your own stupidity.
Mr. Bush and Ms. O’connor, if you are in the country the people of Cayman would once again request that you address the crime issue.
We knew this was coming all the signs were there Police running round do absolutely nothing. Question have you ever seen a policeman on foot patrol in this Plaza other than PAYDAY and to China Village for food and you had better get out of their way on those dates. Leadership change is now need at RCIPS how much longer are we going to put up with the ineptness how much longer are we going to put of with these same old tired excuses. They have imported more foreign police than this place could hold because they said Caymanians couldn’t cut it. They have promoted and elevated the XXXX local cronies to the upper level of their incompetence. We can do better than this Cayman this old UK reactionary strategy is putting this place future in doubt. Down with Baines and his cronies.
Im almost certain that Jacques Scott and other buildings in that area has cctv. Would be a good idea to have all of those checked for clues around that time of the day.
If you can convince the police not to leave it until the criminals change their appearance from aging…Oh I forgot, they’re busy issuing traffic tickets so the Government can pay their salaries…
They are just making way for the new banknotes….due to be released in a months time…..*sad*
None of the robberies solved ?
Crime pays in cayman.
I certainly don’t condone this, but what is the downside? The robbers:
1) Wont get shot at.
2) Don’t have to worry about government red tape / costs, such as work permit applications / fees, key man designation, or even a residency points system.
3) Most of all, they wont get caught. Through and through Cayman suffers from lack of accountability.
This is no surprise. It is a Thursday, at the end of the month; both popular dates for robberies. I thought earlier in the week “I bet we see a bank robbed at the end of the week”, & I hoped the police thought that too & were prepared to act (properly, as opposed to turning up late & flying the ‘copter an hour after it has all finished, tht is!).
Come on RCIPS, make some arrests this time. If not, there is always next Thursday or next month end, so start preparing for those robberies now!…
Mac never cared about crime in West Bay so seeing it spread makes no difference to him. He doesn’t care. He only cares about power and manipulating policy. When Cayman gets on the list of dangerous tourist spots then it will be to late. Get rid of Mac and put in some one that cares.
He won’t care then either. He will just put in an oil refinery to finish us off !!!!!!
Why would he care? He isn’t on-island long enough for it to affect him anyway!
I was crossing the bank at 11:50 AM, RCIPS armed forces were already there with three police blocks surrounding the area, GREAT repsonse time on this one RCIPS! Add more special forces and we should get this crime situation to a minimum! Give credit where credit is due! Kudos!
Except for the fact that an armed response after the robbers are gone is not good enough. In fact, it’s pathetic, because it’s not like the Commissioner doesn’t know that banks are being targeted by armed robbers!
So what’s your argument? On payday the RCIPS supplies armed response units to ALL banks in Cayman? Be realistic. Police cannot stop crimes happening, they can only be there to mop up after things go wrong.
“Police cannot stop crimes happening, they can only be there to mop up after things go wrong.”
So if you wake up in the middle of the night, hear someone downstairs going through your things and call the police – would they ask you to call back when the criminals have left so they can come & mop up?
If you can’t call the police, who you gonna call?
(Ghostbusters!)
Well, this may be advanced thinking for you. But if you wake up and hear someone going through your things downstairs A CRIME HAS ALREADY BEEN COMMITTED! The police have not stopped a crime – it has to be committed for you to call them, turn up and catch/arrest whoever was in your house. Use your brain and stop with the ridiculous comments.
Commonsense should tell you that someone needs to be armed and present before robbers arrive, if you want to catch them. Police officers are not security guards for private businesses, so owners should…
Nope, you just put silent alarms linked to the 911 control centre in all the places that might get hit and have armed response units cruising the streets ready to respond – that’s not rocket science, in fact it’s exactly the way Mr Baines former employers in the UK tackled the problem so why isn’t it happening here?
LOL!!! Armed forces AT THE SCENE AFTER, why didn’t they set up armed forces at all the road exits OUT OF THE AREA!!!
Seriously, if you robbed a bank, the last place you will stay near IS THE BANK YOU ROBBED!
There should have been police cars at every roundabout and bypass, every stop light, on crewe road, eastern avenue stop lights, south sound roundabout by Hurley’s, surround the entire area, why did we spend so much on new police cars then!?!?!
Don’t tellers have a panic button that automtically, discretely signals the authorities so that they can get they’re act together even whilst the crime is taking place? We are surely living in the land of Oz!!! And Big Mac is our Wizard!!!
Oops they did it again! This kind of brazen and repeated attack is concerning as it appears that the criminals must at least think its a crime they are able to get away with. That perception is dangerous.