New cop team focusing on burglaries
(CNS): A new specialist squad that has been formed at the George Town Police Station will be focusing on the increase in both daylight and night-time burglaries around Grand Cayman that are causing serious concern for many residents. At a police meeting on Saturday morning, Detective Sargeant Sean Bryan appealed to the clearly frustrated residents in George Town to help officers to get to grips with the crime. He said that when one burglary is committed in a given neighbourhood, there is a strong likelihood that another will occur in the same area within seven days and he warned residents to be extremely vigilant and report all suspicious people to the police.
It is better for the police to come down and meet and greet with individuals who are around neighbourhoods and find out that there is a perfectly innocent explanation for them being there than to leave a person who is planning on “causing havoc”, said DS Bryan, the new head of the burglary task force.
DS Bryan and his team care passionately about what they do, he said, and they were working really hard to address the problem of break-ins and burglaries. However, he said, they could not do it if the community do not report what is happening or bring their suspicions to the police. He asked the people to forget about what he called the RCIPS’ “own goals” and mistakes and to work with the police to tackle crime.
The meeting was hosted by a local neighbourhood watch coordinator and more than half of the 50 or so people present seemed to have been victims of break-ins, burglaries and even frightening home invasions. Many said that they repeatedly called the police and they were extremely disappointed with the follow up.
One victim, who said he had suffered at the hands of burglars some three times, even had video footage but the officers on the case had not asked to see it. The releasing of known offenders on bail and after conviction caused significant frustrations among the residents.
The residents seemed to be dealing with various levels of crime, with some concerned more about the loss of mangoes from the trees in their South Sound gardens, while others had been victims of serious crime.
Once person described how his home had been invaded by four young men in the middle of the night, even though he and his wife had a dog. He said that while one of the perpetrators had been apprehended and charged, he was released on a three month probation by the court.
He said this crime was not burglary but a home invasion and the criminal justice system needed to recognise that fact. However, the police pointed out that they had no control over what happened once the suspects who they charged reached the court system.
There were the usual calls for more patrols, which the police said they could not promise because, despite the hefty annual budget, they said their resources were limited.
Angelique Howell, the new GT Commander, said the police did not have all the answers as she encouraged people to submit suggestions, patrol their own neighbourhoods and to send photographs of suspicious people or cars in the community into the RCIPS,
The second community meeting for George Town is scheduled for Tuesday, 13 August, in the park in Martin Drive off Shedden Road at 7:30pm.
The RCIPS press office said that further dates would be announced shortly. In the meantime, anyone who wishes to discuss any matters regarding community policing in the George Town area should contact SPC Fran General at Fran.General@rcips.ky or CI Howell at Angelique.Howell@rcips.ky.
Category: Crime
So, let me see if I understand this…the RCIPS KNOWS that there are criminal elements who are on the lookout to break and burgle…they KNOW they are working during a particular time frame and in a pretty narrow area…and instead of just keeping quiet, putting this team together and going out and arresting several of them, breaking up the ring, and THEN announcing it…they decide that the wise thing to do is to Announce BEFOREHAND that they intend to put plainclothes officers on patrol and be on the lookout for burglars…because as we all know, the criminals don't bother to read the news or listen to the radio or watch TV…people, if THIS is the best we got, then we are in serious trouble…and if the CoP approves of this and allows these kinds of hairbrained antics to go public, then we are in even bigger trouble…
this thing is so easy to fix , mandatory 25 year sentence for first offence , and we would see a drop over night , when the going gets tough the tough gets going so the robbers will have to try something new.
Too too LITTLE;
Too too LATE!
As a matter of fact those bloody native blokes have to stop this stealing.
I fold my arms to show my disdain for their practice of breaking into peoples flats…
Take that you silly natives…
Ask any cop on the force 10 years ago and they will tell you Haines had it right! Stop protecting the white collar criminals (come on! The drug money flows up not into the ghetto) and get some balls by locking up the 2 dozen thugs we KNOW.
It is 60,000 people and the RCIP should need no more than 60 days if really trying! Zero tolerance worked in New York City so crack some heads and let the thieves move to Miami. Not welcome in my back yard anymore!!! And for the slutty unemployed baby-mammas, we will triple the women's prison size too… No more gang girls either.
Please do not start the Haines train again. Crime was rising under his watch and there were mulitiple armed incidents and murders. Granted not to the numbers of today but they were most certainly on the rise. It was during the time period that the criminal culture we see today was starting to take hold. Haines was not the almighty lawman and things durinf his tenure were not so great and in part the lack of enforcement could be why we are where we are at today. I know Sheldon Brown was convicted by his efforts,,,,,,,,,but there was a trail of distruction left in his wake before his capture and conviction. Howell is or cannot be taken to be crediable with her and her SGT's statements. Looking at it, why do we have a police service. They are largley symbolic but really nothing much else. Haines……Baines…….not too much went on or is going on with the RCIP to get tooooooo excited about. The only thing is Haines was cheaper. We need Buel Braggs back. Now that was a true lawman who knew the people. There was no community meetings nor special units. It was rare to see him,cor the service, and cost was down, Here we have high costs, lip service and the same non-producing results.
Now would that be the same Buel Braggs, who in the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan and had his badge number read out over the radio asking him to report to the Police Station.
So even ten years ago you had expats still showing you how it is done and getting results?
Moved on much?
What do we expect when my gardner that don't know his name in neon lights is now a police officer??? how do we expect him to collect a statement when i know that this man cannot read!!!! but he a police officer now in the Cayman Islands??
You talking about Paul?
Patrol your area …..take pictures ……is she for real? There are armed hoodlums some with hoddies and masks. Let the average joe go and build a case while the POLICE OFFICER is out of harms way. What do you pay this department for? While it is understood that they are not there to protect any individual as a rule they are there to protect the community and now the citizens are being told to shoulder that burden. New cars new helicopter new CCTV new unnits new officers new training………same old BS.
So you can start by investigating my burglary where I and the Security Centre provided you with with good CCTV images over 2 years ago!
Just give all law abiding citizens Glock 45s and we will eliminate 99.95% burglaries. I have given consideration to the old lady next door to me, she can't see s$&t so I think she would miss and be the 0.5%. But what a scare those scums would get!
There are dozens of cars that race past every night with no mufflers,suspension slammed, and tinted everything; flagrantly disregarding the rules of the road and the endangering the safety of fellow citizens. When will this prevalent distain for authority meet with some organized response from the 9 to 5 RCIPS? The RCIPS have allowed those with the predilection to cause mischief to up the ante without consequence, because who dares to catch them in the act? Certainly not our current roster of police.
Between the poor ass performance of the RCIP and the lack of laws, or should I say laws that benifit the criminal more so, there is good reason for us thelaw abiding citizen to be concerned. I for one, moved to Cayman 15 years ago because I fell in love with the Cayman of that era. Now, between the fact that we are heading in the direction of other caribbean islands and no one in power seem to care after election, I am not surprised by the gradual exodus of my Caymanian friends. My warning to this Government, loose your young educated and you will have nothing left to call a country.
Please, again, you report a crime they will come after you…the police will not protect you…maybe they should start doing their job. Where I know they can't be everywhere, but when you don't see patrol cars anytime after 11pm on the road, that is scary…
You reminded me of an incident that happened to me. My apartment was broken into and I saw the criminal walking out with some stuff. I called the police and as they came, they drove pass the theif and came straight to me.. I had to tell them to catch this guy. In anycase, they had the guy and they were being laxed and started to ask me question about myself. I mean personal question, Full name, telephone , where I worked, what I did, date of birth all with the theif 3 feet away from me! If I didnt stop the questioning he would have probably asked me for my bank details too. They are Stupid. I can not for the life of me wonder how some of these people can actually get a job to protect people.
Anyway, in regards to the main topic; These police officers arent doing anything new. They are chasing their tails again. A few of these children that are part of the problem are even children of police officers! So if they can not handle their own kids, how can they manage the publics.
Listen, they need to give the parent the power back to discipline their kids. These internation people have come in here screaming human rights while our street have become plagued with these unruly children.
I was in Kirks the other day and watch this English/American parent take some abuse from her child. He screamed and shouted at her because he couldnt get what he wanted, and I just thought back to how my parents would have unleashed the chariots of fire on my in that store if I went on like that. Did that affect me? Yes, made me deciplined. Made me respect them. If you slap your child bum in public now, the look you get would kill ten donkeys one time. How sad is that, you cant even talk to your kids without fearing that they dont all social services and lie on you if you try and impliment some rules. the system is out of control
So I say to the police, give the power back to the parents and schools. Hold the parents responsible for their kids. If their kids are found to be doing illigal stuff, FINE the parents too for taking up the courts time and for reckless endangerment. Bring back deciplining children in schools. I use to have a teacher name Mr. Crawford. Tough hard core teacher. Slip up ONCE and you getting beating. I feared, but loved that man. He would decipline you for being rude, but in your heart you knew you did wrong and you knew this man would protect your life if he had too.
This has gone on too far, We got proper punishment back in my days, and our streets werent filled with all these gangs, murders, burglaries. You could leave your front door open and come back days, to find it untouched.
So to the police, stop passing the buck again, we do not live in the US or the UK, as you all can see the same policies that did not work there is not working here.
Give the parents back the power to beat that a$$ if their kids are becoming a menise to society and police that instead. Make sure the parents are abusing the kids. This is alot easier that trying to deal with criminals who shoot at you .
just my .02cents
Was told that a high profile individual's home in Governor's Harbour was broken into over the weekend and he was cleaned out. I am sure that now that this high profile people are getting hit left right and center in Cayman that the Police will step up to the plate. Trust me this has been growing for some time and can only get worst if not handled!!
It time the "Sherriff" start looking at this money Pit called the RCIPS and the big questions is are we really getting value for our money? This game of using crime to extort money out of Government has ot to Stop!