Burglars spoil crime stats
(CNS): With an increase of almost 8%, the local police say they are concerned about the continued rise in burglaries in Cayman when every other category of crime is falling. The RCIPS has warned that daytime burglaries in particular are causing concern, and despite 63 arrests of suspects, 262 burglaries have already been reported this year compared with 243 in the first six months of 2012. The rise in break-ins is bucking a continuing trend of falling crime rates on the island where other serious crimes are concerned. Murders and attempted murders, robberies, attempted robberies and GBH all fell significantly in the first half of this year, leading to an overall fall of more than 20%.
In the latest statistics compiled by the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, another notable exception to the falling violent crime rate included a massive increase in reported incidences of defilement, which grew from three to ten cases — a 233% growth rate. Just one more case of wounding was reported during the first half of 2013 compared to 2012 and the cases of people found in possession of unlicensed firearms remained the same as last year, with twelve people found to be carrying unlawful guns.
Although both violent crime and overall volume of crime are falling, burglaries are now the major concern for the RCIPS because of the wide impact on the community. With an increase of 7.82%, 19 more burglaries than during the same time last year equates to nineteen more victims.
Superintendent Adrian Seales, head of district operations for the RCIPS, said officers were working hard with communities to help reduce burglaries.
“Daytime burglaries are a major issue for us at the moment," he said. "It’s clear that burglars are targeting houses and condos whilst people are out at work or on holiday. Our beat officers have been meeting with Neighbourhood Watch coordinators and talking to people throughout the islands to offer crimeprevention advice. We have officers conducting high visibility and unmarked patrols at all times of the day and night.
“So far this year we have made 63 burglary arrests as a result of our proactive patrolling and intelligence gathering. But we need people to help us reduce the opportunities for burglars by ensuring that they have proper locks on their windows and doors, and that they note the serial numbers of their property.
“We are also liaising closely with second hand dealers to ensure that all possible steps are taken to prevent the resale of stolen goods. The items of choice for burglars are electronics, such as flat screen TVs, laptops, iPads, tablets, cell phones, etc. On some occasions jewellery and cash have been taken too."
Although secondhand dealers are now commonplace on Grand Cayman and have given cause for concern for the police, they are not common in the Sister Islands but a new company has started doing business there. Staff from the company on Grand Cayman visit Cayman Brac and Little Cayman every few months and report a brisk trade.
Chief Inspector Frank Owens in charge of Sister Islands policing said that potential thieves and burglars may see this as a route to offload stolen property. He said that he and staff from the company have established a good working relationship and procedures to ensure that no stolen property is inadvertently handled by staff.
“Household burglaries are rare in the Sister Islands and that’s the way we want to keep it,” said CI Frank Owens, who was recently transferred to the Sister Islands from George Town. “Historically, secondhand dealers may have been seen by burglars and thieves as a way to offload stolen property. On many occasions the staff within these establishments have no way of identifying the property as stolen – it may seem to be a genuine transaction. That’s why residents and business owners should make sure that they note serial numbers, take photographs and mark their property. That way, if their property is stolen the police will be able to work with the dealer to ensure that if it’s offered to them for sale, it’s identified quickly – and the suspect arrested," he added.
Neighbourhood officers from George Town are in the process of arranging a crime prevention seminar for residents and business owners in the district. The seminar will be held in partnership with local security companies. Further details of the event will be made available shortly.
In the meantime, anyone who wishes to speak with an officer about crime prevention, or any concerns about crime in general, should contact their local police station or visit the RCIPS website.
The latest statistical publication is posted on the RCIPS website and attached to this story below.
Figures reveal that serious crimes have fallen by almost 7% overall and volume crimes by almost 27%. Almost every recorded crime category has shown a decrease compared to the same period last year. Attempted murders decreased by 75%, robberies are down by 46.88 %, attempted robberies down 50% and GBH shows a reduction of 58.33%. Every volume crime category such as theft, threatening violence and assaults has fallen.
Category: Crime
They change the meaning of different crimes so that the numbers look lower than actual. An independent body should be setup to review the actual crimes and insure that violent crimes are not covered over as petty.
Ensure.
The Jamaican crime lords have moved in and they will grow their industry here as they see Cayman as their next logical step.
An affluent society and An indifferent population whose heads are in the sand and won't notice the steady increase in crime until its too late, no competition, a Totally inept police force who don't know where to begin when it comes to organized crime and a government that is broke and unwilling to acknowledge the problem.
hey, if I was a savvy criminal I would also move into Cayman in a big way.
Mark my words Cayman. I've seen much larger countries fall to crime in a matter of years and I fear Cayman will fall much faster. Get ready for burglar guards on windows, double locking doors and alarms, trellis gates and much more not to mention a fragile commerce that will not survive the fallout. Little Jamaica here we come!
Yeh bledz, I know wa you mean bledz, all deez yahdis do is just come destroy our island bledz, we need deport all of dem yo. They so sicknin, we dont need no jamaicans down ya unless they filling up my car wid some diesel bledz….. You trying say Caymanians innocent awa? Lol you either a joka, or one really delusional human being. Try suh take responsibility for your own peoples actions and stop distributing it among foreigners who come over here to escape the horrible conditions of the country they left. You obviously havent seen these criminals.
I caught one outside my house on Sunday night and my Rottweiler attacked him before he managed to get away. Police came to my house and knew who the guy was (as luck would have it i knew his first name). They did what they needed to do that night and quickly. It’s not the fault of police that serial thieves are breaking into people’s houses. Granted sometimes they do not exactly conduct the best investigations but at the end of the day they can not predict a break in before it happens.
Don't you worry…when a certain house down in Governors Harbour gets burgled or one belonging to one of his Buddies…there will be no stone left unturned and you will not see the RCIPS rest until the perpetrators are brought to justice, tried, convicted and buried under the jail..but until that happens the prevailing attitude is…meh, who cares??
shhould be 263 .. we got burglared and did not report it
why do you think burglarys are up?
Maybe if the commissoner tried to solve the problem on why they need the money here is a tip on what is causing the problems these criminals need the money to support their drug habits, so stop the drug boats from coming here furnishing them with the drugs and guns to do these crimes.
Yes because other countries have managed to do this so well and win the "war on drugs". Countries like, well, er, em. Legalisation is the most effective way of dealing with drugs.
Drug money has support at the highest levels of government. You can forget about that.
All year we have been reading about increased burglaries, hell some colleagues even had home invasions and a lot of comments posted about just how useless, helpless, unhelpful and clueless RCIPS has been in this regard. Time to change perceptions RCIP's, perhaps some more training needed?
They may be concerned, however they need to do something..this is a small island, a lot of people know who is doing what…why don't the police?
I'll bet you that most of this is the result of about 20 people who are known to the police. Need to focus on getting evidence to lock them up.
Not to mention the 1000+ break ins that have not been reported because the people are tired of having the Police comew to their homes to tell them that they are at fault for not doing enough to keep the crininals out!
You are lucky if they even show up at all. On top of that the "finger print" dude is never on duty to come and collect samples.
Perhaps the RCIPS should look into setting up a bait house or operation of some sort in the areas beingtargeted by these thieves? Seems to work in the US and UK with cars etc so why not try it with an enticing set up in a condo complex?
They don't seem to have any idea or clue on how to catch this select few that are carrying out these acts so something "new" might just do it.
My 2 cents.
Oh Noooo Oh nooo not Commissioner "Beans" again with hs crime is down spiel. He must subscribe to George Bush's theory of Fuzzy Mats his percentages certainly defies reason and upsets and insults the truth!
I suppose this is 'reported' crime we are talking about?
It's always reported crime, dumbo. You can't make statistics out of any other kind.
Clearly you've never heard of "Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics"??
Good comment.
When are the police going to start taking home burglaries seriously? They are very unprofessional when they come to the scene. They just wander around as if its an inconvenience to them. They take personal calls on their cells and generally give a couldnt care less attitude. What happens to the statements after they are given? Are they cross referenced?
What about this police auction coming up? If we identify any of our own stolen items will we be able to get them back without buying them?
The whole burglary thing is a total joke and wont stop as the thieves know they are going to get away with it.