Brac MLA calls on RCIPS to step up after burglaries
(CNS): Updated 2:07pm – On Saturday night Kirkconnell's Market became the latest business on Cayman Brac to be robbed in a string of burglaries on the island, including one at the Brac Reef Beach Resort two weeks ago. First elected member for the district, Moses Kirkconnell, who is managing director of the supermarket in Stake Bay, said that he has voiced his concern to the police after each incident in a rash of robberies this year but is now calling on the police commissioner to publicly assure the people of Cayman Brac that the RCIPS is doing everything it can to protect them from the thieves. Seven businesses and two homes on Cayman Brac have been burgled since the beginning of 2013.
Kirkconnell's Market was broken into between 10:00 on Saturday night (20 April) and 8:30 Sunday morning. The thieves smashed the front glass and metal door with an object and made off with a 300-400lb safe containing a substantial amount of cash belonging to the supermarket and Kirkconnell Investment and Development Company (KIDCO), which is managed from the Kirkconnell Ltd office within the store.
Officers from the Cayman Brac Police Station attended the scene, where forensic analysis was carried out.
"I am extremely concerned with the hardship inflicted on the burglary victims and the harm these burglaries cause to undermine Cayman Brac’s reputation as a safe place to live and work," Kirkconnell stated. "After each of the incidents, I have spoken with police to voice my concerns and ask for their commitment to do everything possible to stop these break-ins. Today, I ask the commissioner to publicly reassure our community that law enforcement is doing everything they can to solve these burglaries and to provide protection for our citizens, our homes, and our small businesses. Cayman Brac is a struggling community and these thoughtless, selfish thieves must be found and prosecuted."
On Saturday, 6 April, burglars broke into the Brac Reef hotel. Police said they were alerted to the burglary around 4:30am. They found that the front entrance door had been forced open and entry gained to the cashier section, where a safe was forced open and a quantity of cash was stolen, police said.
The RCIP is appealing to anyone who may have information that can assist with these investigations to please call any of the police stations or Crime Stoppers on 800-8477 (TIPS)
Related article:
Three break-ins at Brac businesses
Category: Crime
Meaningless election banter.
Wow – I guess their lack of policing is as bad there as it is here, in terms of RCIP's burglary prevention and response.
In spite of the enormous surge in the past year on Grand Cayman, few people even bother to report these massive robberies – often in daytime – any more!
Defend yasself people!
I wonder who they are going to "blame" for last nights' attempted home burlgary. Police are not dusting for fingerprints….. wonder why? Something needs to be done about this. These cases could be open and closed if finger printing was done. Innocient people are getting blamed because of their appearances or because they are from Grand Cayman. Appearances have nothing to do with it! This is just a caveman's way of thinking and last time I checked Cayman Brac is a free place for people to come and go as they please. Families are being hurt and destroyed from these false and vicious rumors. We have people not even contacting police anymore because nothing is being done or in fear of the police giving out information to the persons really comitting these crimes. Police are supposed to be to protect and serve. Really? Don't see any of that happening anymore!
While Mr. Kirkconnell is smart to call on the Police Commissioner to assure the community that its people will be protected from the thieves and that they will be caught, a smart business man would have put his money up in the bank the day before!!
If you had any sense at all, you would know the store is open until 9:30pm on Saturday night. How much time does that give them to count it off and which bank is open at 11:00pm?
If YOU had any sense you would know about NIGHT DEPOSIT which is available to anyone who has a business. Ehh.
Having just left the Brac after a long holiday I find it astonishing that almost everyone I spoke to about these break-ins told me they knew who the offender was. They also knew which family he came from, where he sold the loot on Grand and the fact that the next robbery only took place when he returned to the Brac etc. etc. etc.!!!!!!. So if all these people know who is doing them WHY hasn't an arrest been made and the suspect at least fingerprinted???.
Let's be completely honest with ourselves Cayman Brackas! Moses has every right to call the RCIPS out on their incompetance as a victim of these criminals because he is painfully aware they have done almost nothing to solve these crimes. Failed to insure proper finger printing was done at the scenes, failed to take the time to look at CCTV footage at a number of businesses that have offered the footage. I am shocked that an officer didn't drive throught the Kirkonnell parking lot at least once on Sunday morning and discover that blown out door which would have been in plain view. Conclusion… no police were out on a Sunday morning doing rounds. Typical. Let's face it the last time we had proper policing on the Brac was 8 years ago with the wonderful English couple D & J Asxxxx. Since then the majority of officers are not fit to wear a uniform and spend their days harrassing people. Until we admit we need to stop importing officers from other Caribbean countries with cultures based on corruption and complacancy we are going to get the same ineptitude from the RCIP. Sometimes you get what you pay for and we all know government is broke. It will be our houses next… wait for it!
As someone from the Brac, but living in Grand Cayman for about thirty eight years, I find it quite disheartening to hear of all the crimes that are now being committed on that small island. Cayman Brac was always a peaceful and quiet and God-fearing place. I trust the perpetrators will be caught and severely punished for such dastardly acts. If they are Jamaicans or some other nationality, they need to be deported to their respective countries with the understanding that they will be severely punished in their native country and never given the opportunity to return to Cayman Islands for the rest of their life.
Remember the terrorists were found by the people helping the FBI. What part are we the people playing besides hollering for the MLAS to help. Are they investigators? What are their qualifications for solving crime? I don't think any except Chuckie would be of help in that department. Let's do our part. I think there should be an award offered after all many people need money desperately. If I knew the culprit/s I would call the police for free.
Yep you call the police for free and then the police calls the culprit and tells them that you just called the police on the culprit…there you go…now we have the culprit knows who ratted him out and he is out as free as a bird while your life is being threatened…typical RCIPS style
Exactly my experience too!
Call 1800crime stoppers. Police don't know anything. That is in Miami. Simple. Other option: call with a public phone or put your phone on hide your number. Call quick and fake your accent. simple again. There is no excuse. You are just as gulity as the robber if you don't speak the truth.
It was after 12 because I saw the person who did it up until 1145
Give us more of a hint please
could put their names but cns nah gah post it
OK, so you know who did it, what have you done with that information???.
Gave it to the fool fool police duhhhhh I also told um who stabbed the man too duhhh !
You do know that you are just as guilty if you know who did it and doesn't say anything, don't you? That's what the 1800 number is for. Use it.
The police need to be out patrolling at night and early mornings instead of sleeping. The business owners need to be more responsible and put in security systems and stop being complacent. Also if the amount of money that is rumored to have gone missing really was in that safe then the business man is a damn fool to have that kind of cash out and not in the bank.
While you are blaming everyone you omitted that the thieves should stop stealing.
Cayman Brac MLA, Mr. Moses Kirkconnell, says it is time for the RCIPS to Brac to "step up" regarding the recent crime spree on Cayman Brac. I say all businesses needed to "step up, including his. Rather than being critical of the RCIPS, Mr. Kirkconnell would have better served his constituents by giving them useful information on how to reduce their businesses vulnerability to crime. Hey! Hold on! Isn't Kirkconnell affiliated with the Brac Infomatics Centre (B.I.C.)? Isn't one of their areas of expertise cyber-security? I hope B.I.C. is more diligent regarding their client's security than Kirkconnell was relative to securing his own business! Dart has billions: I wonder what type of security system his Brac liquor store had? According to marl road reports, none, nada! For shame!
According to news reports and "marl road" tid-bits relating to most of these crimes, it seems that the victims apparently made it quite easy for the criminals to do their dirty deeds: the perpetrators had to do little more than jimmy open or break a flimsy door, find the cash and/or valuables and walk off with their loot, smiling at how easy it was. (A lot better than a day job, eh, Bobo?) According to reports, the Brac Reef hotel's safe was "forced open". What kind of cheapo safe did the Brac Reef have anyway? When I was involved in businesses that handled and stored cash overnight, the safes we used would require quite prolonged use of a cutting torch to open them. And even then, because of a special metal layer, opening them with a torch would not be an easy task. Of course the thief would have had to have gotten past a proper security system first.
Say, Kirconnell! Did the burglars just pick your safe and dance away with it? Was it properly secured to the floor/wall? Doesn't sound so. A safe for storing any quantity of cash and valuables should at least: 1. be resistant to opportunistic attack; 2. be properly secured to the building; 3. have an internal protection pack that dyes the cash if the safe is jostled or heated beyond a certain temperature; 4. be connected to a security system. If budget is a problem, top-quality used safes are a lot cheaper than the potential loss.
Very simple and loud motion-detecting alarm units are certainly better than nothing: noise is a huge deterrent to thieves. Such units are available from WalMart, e-Bay and even locally for under USD$25 for a single unit with wireless key fob controller. Multi-room/space systems run under $30 per room/space protected.
The RCIPS could do "everything it can to protect (businesses and homes) from the thieves", but unless the owners are pro-active in making sure their premises and valuables are secure, the RCIPS simply cannot shield them from opportunistic crime. Part of the blame for the crime spree on Cayman Brac must be placed on the owners and management that made so easy for the criminals to steal from them. Most of the affected businesses could have afforded a decent safe and an effective security system. Insecure doors, easily compromised cash and valuable storage, general lack of adequate security measures, means you are an easy target! These easy targets have embolden the thieves to continue their crime spree on the Brac. Moreover, the apparent "easy-pickings" serve as an invitation that almost begs criminals from off-island to add "crime tourism" to Cayman Brac's list of visitor activities.
Great security does not have to be expensive. One of my Cayman Brac friends tells us that has just installed a state-of-the-art virtually totally hidden system that will send alarms and video to his smart phone via the local wireless cellular network. He has small wireless surveillance cameras (with night vision) hidden roadside, on the exterior, and totally concealed cameras inside the building. I would hate to be a burglar hitting his place, by the time they get insidethey will be apprehended. I am not saying everyone needs this level of security, but my buddy says that his system was pretty cheap protection: purchased from e-Bay and self-installed the complete system was under USD$800. Took a day to install (including several beer breaks).
If the RCIPS was at all keen on mitigating crime on Cayman Brac they would have done a lot more to ensure that businesses were aware and protected! Notwithstanding their prowess (or lack of it) in solving these crimes, the RCIPS gets a big "F" for their pathetic public relations protocols. One of the first things a competent police service usually does when an otherwise quiet area shows a marked increase in burglaries is institute a swift public relations and information campaign on how not to become a victim of crime. A great many pro-active police departments offer to schedule crime prevention seminars in local areas and neighbourhoods. The first thing that Mr. Kirkconnell should have done is to invite the RCIPS to hold such seminars on burglary prevention on Cayman Brac. Invite interested businesses and individuals; distribute relevant literature, DVD's, etc. I find it hard to wrap my head around the fact that Ms. Juliana, being a Bracker, has been so lackadaisical on the issue. Sad. Very Sad! Both MLA's have exhibited extremely poor leadership relative to the "crime wave" plaguing Cayman Brac.
My mama always told me "An ounce of prevention is worth a ton of cure." Burglary on Cayman Brac will become a fact of life if businesses and individuals don't get with it! Crying over spilt milk is a fool's game. Asking the police to "step up" their attention to the matter is an after-the-fact exercise. Brackers: If you want to stop being victimised by crime, stop waiting for the RCIPS to do miracles, simply stop being easy victims!
Sweety, I think you are confusing Cayman Brac to Grand Cayman. Crime was never part of the Cayman Brac lifestyle, so when building shop owners didn't had to bother securing everything like they would in New York or GrandCayman. Cayman Brac is a place where everyone is acquainted with everyone and wasting money to secure your place in a small 12 mile island is pointless. If anything, all the police "so called" should be blamed for not doing their job. These break- ins started since February, has the police taken interest in finding out who the real culprits are?
Sweety…
Brackers have had from February to wake up, smell the coffee and say to themselves: "Hey, Self, looks like there bees a spate of burglaries startin' yah on de Brac. My shop has cash and waluables, I better proteck it!" DUH! What a shame! What you are strongly suggesting is that Cayman Brackers are essentially in denial because they have lived in an Eden-like paradise free from the cares of serious crime and now all of a sudden Cain has arrived on the scene and they can't figure out what the hell to do to prevent being victims of crime. (Except of course, to do what we Caymanians seem to do best, leave it to Gowernment to solve for us.)
Lemmie paraphrase you own words, if I may, so perhaps you too can wake up and smell the coffee: "These break- ins started since February, has the business owners taken interest in being pro-active to protect their premesis?" So far I am not impressed! The best Brackers seem to muster is crying for the police to do more when they all but hang out a "Please Burglarise Me!" sign on their doors. I'd be willing to bet that more insecure businesses will be hit. I will also be willing to bet that if and when the thieves hit my Brac friend's premesis with the advanced security system, Norhtward will be their next destination. It is just a matter of time and bold stupidity.
Your statement "…wasting money to secure your place in a small 12 mile island is pointless" makes you the Poster Child and banner-bearer of the Society of Brackers in Denial! Wasting money!!?? My Gawd! If all Brackers adopt your outlook the island will become the Mecca for criminal tourism. The DOT can start a new ad campaign: "Come to beautiful, unspoilt Cayman Brac where we think it is pointless to secure our stuff from thieves! Special Scuba+Burglary weekend Brac crime spree packages now on sale. Package includes airfare, four two-tank dives, nightly guided burglarly tours of insecure premesis, accommodations and sub-compact getaway car with unlimited mileage. Special petty crime Resort Course for beginners optional. (Restrictions apply)."
Educate yourself idiot!
One of the major things Cayman Brac depends on for money is tourism. One of the MAJOR pull factor is the crime free environment, if these businesses secure their places, don't you think these uneducated people are going to start hitting the homes when they can't get into the businesses? What do you expect, people to set cameras and alarms in their homes to be free from theives and then let the theives know they are free to break in, so let's see how well you can do? If you try to build your homes and businesses upto "theives" standards, I don't think you are saying this needs to stop, it is saying we want to tolerate crime. How many tourist would want to go someone where they have to be afraid?
Catching these criminals would put an end to the break ins, and that's what the police are paid to do, but all they are trained for is letting their friends go and give people speeding tickets. If the police can't get the "their" job done, what are they hired and paid for?
How do you know the 300/400 lb safe wasn't bolted down? Or that the cameras in the Market don't have footage?
The news article reported that the thieves 'smashed the front glass', yet you report, 'the perpetrators had to do little more than jimmy open the door' … are you recreating the story, or do you know something more about this burglary? Maybe you should be talking with the RCIPS … or they should be talking to you.
The news reports here and in the papers and the good old Brac gossip grapevine all refer to thieves jimmying open doors in more than one instance. Smashing glass is even easier than prying a door open. So the thieves 'had to do little more than jimmy open the door' is about right.
It does not take any genius to figure that the safe was not well secured and that there was no alarm system. Or maybe, like the Brac Reef, it was just a cheapo safe that any kid could pry crack with a crowbar. A good commercial TRTL30X6 UL rated safe that is well anchored to the floor would with high tensile anchor bolts would need a jackhammer to remove part of the floor and the sub-floor concrete anchoring pads (which may weigh as much or more than the safe) for the robbers to just walk away with the safe; unless they opened the safe and loosened the bolts. But a TL30 safe – in my opinion the minimum rating for a safe used for keeping of a store's cash – would require people with good tools and good skills at least half an hour to force the door open. It also does not take a genius to figure out that their was not security system. An alarm blaring for half an hour while they worked on the safe just might get some attention, nah genius? In any case, my point is this – because methinks that you missed the point: poor security made it far too easy for the thieves to walk away with their loot. "Easy" = lots of motivation for the thieves to continue their crime spree.
Cameras in the market don't constitute a security system. The primary purpose of the market's cameras is more than likely to deter shoplifting not to catch safe-walker-outers. Anyway, camera footage is only effective post facto (which is fancy talk for "after the fact"). Kinda like when you do something really dumb and hurt yourself while your friends are catching video with their smartphones so they can post it on YouTube: it is a good record of your stupidity but the footage doesn't take away the boo-boos.
Kirkconnell's Market is in a partly residential area, right? I should think that an alarm system and jackhammer would have gotten some attention especially on a sleepy little island in the otherwise quiet of the night. There was a void in the front glass, remember? So the sound of a power tool working on a safe would could have carried a long way in the cool still night air.
Hold on here a minute! Where did I mention that anything about the market's cameras and footage? (Are you recreating my story?)
Ok, genius: how do you think the robbers just walked away with that safe? Got any better ideas? Curious minds want to know. I dunno. Whatcha think? Maybe they got Scotty to beam it up out of the store and into their waiting starship? Wow! That's it! Case closed.
Well said Mr. Kirkconnell. Time is long overdue to have proper policing on the Brac. The officers we have are trying but they are terribly understaffed and not used to such crimes.
Please help!
The brac want back our only policeman that is capable of solving these crimes! Why is his reinstate taking so long Mr Baines?
DALLAS (aka) wp
The only thing the Brac police is trained for is giving people speeding tickets. They don't really know what and how they should go about solving a crime. I mean look at it, these break-ins started since February and it is now the ending of April and they still have no clue whatsoever as to who is/are responsible for these break-ins. You might as well fire all of them and bring in new officers who can actually get the job done, because surely these people don't really care, unless their house becomes the next victim.
If the RCIPS can't find and stop this group of thieves in Cayman Brac they are just plain ineffective. This is a small island with plenty enough police to patrol it, and no other crimes to distract them.
Let's hear what the Commissioner has to say!
These thieves just made the one mistake that will get them caught and arrested. They broke into a Kirkconnell store.
You might get away if you steel from some else's family, but stealing from Moses family will spell your doom, THIEF.
Hope you are in Northward soon.
Whats so special about the kirkconnell famly why the thief should get caught for stealing from them?? Why isnt Mr. Kirkconnell making sure all thieves are caught regardless of who the steal from. As an elected representative of the people of Cayman Brac, it doesnt speak well of him, to catch the thief only after he is stolen from.
What is special is the same thing that is special with Mr. Billy and his store. Cowardly crooks are afraid to steal from him, and they should've been afraid to steal from anyone in Cayman Brac. Brackers are a different sort — they are old school, and proud of it.
Moses has been working with the police since the first of these robberies — not because he thought he was next, but because he cares about the islands and their people. He is not a vigillante, but I believe the sign that was posted on the plywood that covered the broken glass at his office. I'm paraphrasing, but it was something like:
"We are God-fearing people, and those that broke it here will be caught, and we will take our island back."
It was longer, and better stated, but that was the crux of the printed message. I believe him.
Mr. Kirkconnell getting vocal now that he has been hit! WOW!
He has been in contact with the police about EVERY burglary. Get your facts straight before you post.
Been in contact? Quietly?
yep
You do know that he has been hit before? Captin's Table was months ago.
Captain's Table not Kirkconnell's business, from what I understand. The company of which Moses is a controlling party rent's it to the current tenant.
The police are not taking the situation in Cayman Brac seriously. Nearly every business in Cayman Brac has been broken into in the last few months. The police in Cayman Brac are understaffed and may lack the training necessary to solve these cases. After all if crime cannot be solved in an island of 1500 people then the police force in Cayman Brac should be retired and the money saved used to reimburse those who have been stolen from.
And where is the "Holy as the Savior" MLA, Madam Higher than the rest Premier?! Isn't this her constituency? And don't tell me she been dealing with it behind the scenes, because she like's facetime with the cameras's so she can shout her usual hymnal's.
The people of Cayman Brac should not have to endure such a spat of crimes like this. The police shout be able to formulate a plan that can have a premptive strike against these or this thug.
Someone on the Brac should know something about who this is, or at least suspect so. But, if the people don't come forward, it will be harder to get this guy. I'm sure Cayman Brac people are even more reserved about coming forward than their Grand Cayman counterparts.
Juju, what is your plan to deal with the socio-economics on the Brac? Other than handing out Social Services money?
11:28, I think the answer you are looking for is pray, that seems to be her answer for everything, and clearly it does nothing.
Madam is much too busy what with the new road system being built around her castle to waste time on such piddling matters.
Honourable P___
She's exactly where Moses has been all this time. Remember she said at the Chamber forum that they work together . He's opened his mouth now only because he has been hit. Both of them are only concerned with themseves and their interests.
He was already hit before but spoke before he was hit either time. You should not judge everyone by JuJu or by yourself.
You should verify what you post or it really has no value other than spreading gossip. Mr. Kirkconnell has been in contact with the RCIPS and with the others that have been hit (I work for one of them so I know).