Robbery at popular beach
(CNS): A man and a woman were robbed at gunpoint Friday evening at one of Grand Cayman’s favourite beach locations. At around 9:30pm the victims, a local couple, were at Smith Cove along South Church Street when they were confronted by two masked robbers. Police said that the suspects produced a handgun and threatened the couple before taking the man’s cash and the woman’s cell phone. The assailants were described as a stout male with a Caymanian accent and another slim man with a Jamaican accent. Both of the robbers had clothing covering their faces; one suspect was dressed in full black, the other was dressed in full grey. They fled on foot in the direction of The Grand Old House.
No shots were fired and there were no injuries.
Police are urging anyone that may have been in the area at the time and may have seen something or anyone who has any information to call Georgetown Police Station on 949-4222 or Crime Stoppers at 800-8477 (TIPS)
See details of couple's ordeal on Cayman 27 video here
Category: Crime
Which one influenced who? The jamaican or the caymanian ? Why would a person with an education or common sense robbed people at the beach? There is no bar ON the beach. How much did they think they could possibly get from a couple looking at the sunset? Do they really need another cell? Fifty lousy dollars!! How embarrassing !! You all can't even do that right !!
Maybe its not the dollars? Maybe jealousy and envy ? They scared those people Why so late? So many questions ,not enough educated people to answer.
'Which one influenced who? The jamaican or the caymanian ?'
What the hell does that matter, who cares who came up with the damn idea, they both took part so they are equally culpable.
That kind of thinking is part of the problem. Stop looking for someone else to blame and get to grips with the problem.
May be they are on drugs? That answers all your questions
Sunset at 9:30 pm? Huh?
The answer to the first two questions is obvious.
An LAPD task force or any major US city crime unit of a couple dozen or so properly trained law enforcement officers could rid the entire island in a matter of months. There are only about 50,000 people over a few hundred square miles in all of the Cayman Islands, about the size of a small suburban city.
The RCIP are a joke of uncaring rollover expats and unqualified entitled Caymanians.
Get properly trained and equipped law enforcement and crime will return to decades past in a matter of months.
I don't doubt that more aggressive crime fighting could clean up these problems but where would you house the criminals? The current prison is full.
This is a British territory and should be dealt with by British police officers and security services, keep the LAPD where they do most good, in LA.
Your discription of the expat officers is correct to some degree, however there are a lot of expat officers who desperately want to get on with the job but are held back by local politics and lethargy. The real problem arose when the bulk of professional officers from the UK, US and Canada left the island because of the manner in which they were treated by incompetent and corrupt local officers. This opened the door to the wider Caribbean and officers who just wanted to have a quiet life for reasonable pay here on Cayman.
This is a product of Cayman's own making, in more ways than one. I hope that Baines pulls his finger out, gets rid of the dead wood in his service and brings in professional police officers who are not afraid of getting out of their patrol cars. If he doesn't, tourism on this island will collapse along with the economy and employment prospects.
If Caymanian's aren't worried, they should be, their own people are destroying their society and its wealth. If the tourists don't come, the bars, restaurants and tax free shops will go, followed closely by the expat workforce and the younger generation who see no prospect of a future here on Cayman.
It really is that serious.
Yes, and that works so well in LA doesn't it. Not exactly a paragon of law abiding society despite its paramilitary police force, is it?
In Canada this population would be policed by about 25 RCMP members and a half dozen support staff, plus community volunteers, and you'd have a hard time going through a day about town without seeing them on patrol at least twice. To be certain a couple dozen RCMP members brought in on loan would mop the place up in a few weeks, and yes they deal with drugs and murders and armed robberies just like the rest of the world.
Like that huge maple syrup heist and their murdering of the game of baseball?
Funny you say that…you're forgetting the fact that this is British overseas territory…therefore their help not needed! Thank you!
The population is 57,000 and the total area is 101 sq. miles.
Someone should take a collection. These people can't afford to be robbed.
To the Borden Family Come on over to the Brac we still enjoy safety and security, You are welcome to walk the beach any hours of the night and the only thing to bother you is the sand flies.
… And of course the Braccers. Just sayin.
The problem is our so called foreign experts and their local stooges have never really had a crime reduction strategy but infact and employment strategy to see how many of their fellow country men they can hire and employ to suck on the tit of our already contracting and depleted economy..They are well aware of the increasing crime and the causes and its direct connections to unemployment but they niether care nor worry that it will effect them simply because its not their island. But yet our local simpltons still believe in the great white hope to save them so they go around in fairy tale land believing when it gets too bad they too will hop on and plane and wave goodbye and join their foreign friends in their homelands with their money in hand and live out their lives as refugees of wealth till it runs out then they find out hospitality ends when you are broke. As for our dearly beloved government who simply dont have the mental capacity to fathom what is going on, please try and get people who can at least salvage a little something for our childrens future here instead of relying on the advice of the elite chosen few in our society. One more thing please do not give the Police blackhole anymore money because we nor the country can no longer afford them or their experts! Infact we would lighten or economic burden a little by sending them back home the rest might show a little sympathy for our plight and stop their employment scam!
What an ignorant, racist bigot you turned out to be.
Newsflash, this is a British territory and its security is a British responsibility. And one things for sure, more UK taxpayer's money comes this way than goes the other.
These idiots who are indulging in serious crime aren't doing it out of some noble survival instinct, they're doing because they are uneducated, immoral, impotent parasites from chaotic parenting and a broken society. They are not interested in working for a living because they have been bought up on a diet of ignorant discrimination, believing that their passport in life is just to be Caymanian. They earn more in welfare, drug dealing, poaching and thieving in a day than most honest citizens do in a week, why would they want to work?
This criminality isn't the fault of any expat, its your failure, your children and your problem. And yes, when it gets beyond control and your failures come back to haunt you, we will go home and leave you flapping around in the wind looking for someone else to blame.
I'm sure it wouldn't be too long before someone cries for help from the 'great white hope', unless of course you want to live in a Kingston mark 2.
Wow, you sure got out of bed the wrong side. You go ahead, blame it on everyone else except Cayman. Everyone will believe you. Expats are as worried about this as you and I susepct making many of the comments on here about getting to grips with crime.
Sounds like somebody needs a lap dance. C'mon now. Big, happy smile.
Where are Mckeeva's Park Rangers when we need them?
At home collecting their pay or running their side business. Where else?
And to think that I have gone to Smith's Cove to watch the fireworks at Grand Old House… ALONE!!!
Scary part is that I didn't have a wallet or money only my keys and phone. That may have not been enough to appease them.
@ Anonymous (Paradise, more like crap hole…)
Re: "I hope the place burns to teach them a lesson long long overdue."
Well, I guess that would be a fitting punishment – after all, we are a British territory.
🙂
Re: "Shame really that only cayman holds such a hateful place in my heart amongst all the countries I have lived in and visited"
Yes … such a shame.
Ummm … who are you again?? Lol!
Dude – get over yourself.
After doing so, I think you will find that it was most likely your negative and spiteful attitude that resulted in you ending back full circle from whence you came … sour grapes and all.
*Some of us have been racially attacked (physically), harrassed by the police, discriminated against in stores and global franchises, had vehicles stolen, burgled, pick-pocketed etc. whilst living in the UK and Europe – it is called "life", son.
Regardless, I would never wish such ill-will on the people of any of those countries as some form of personal revenge or satisfaction.
You (and your supporters) are sick!!
** Anyway, it is true – Cayman is sadly becoming like every other western metropolis, which comes as no surprise considering we have been hurried along to our new status over the last 2 decades in the absence of proper planning.
Hopefully it is not too late to turn the tide – especially as the situation concerns our young people.
I take comfort and pride in the fact that I am doing my bit to address the problem that my particular position within the community allows.
I would encourage all other residents, Caymanian or otherwise to do the same.
What exactly are you doing whodatis? Blowing smoke as usual?
No, I am not.
Is that your only comment?
Says it all really.
In response, I am entitled to my opinion, son!
The fact that you have been such a victim in your life is probably to do with the fact that you run your mouth off and people want to do you harm. My self now included.
I have lived in 11 countries and only the people of your island (caymanians) have welcomed me with such distain and treated me like I was a cash cow not a person.
you are welcome to your "paradise". I think I will stick to countries where the people are more open to criticism and not as xenophobic!
Good luck and good riddance .
Ps, now living in Zurich and my last electric bill was €16. Not $400 – stick that up your ras!!!
Good Luck and good riddance I hope you get all you want in Zurich and more.
"Warm and friendly people".
We didn't createthe reputation buddy – I was born into it.
Enjoy the snow, layers of clothing, record-breaking cold, and tanning salons in the coming months.
🙂
Also, you really do consider yourself quite the badass, don't you? You internet gangsters are so cute. Anyway, be it virtually or literally – I strongly suggest you drop that desire to inflict harm on Whodatis.
It ain't gonna work out well fa' ya! Lol!!
Re: "I think I will stick to countries where the people are more open to criticism and not as xenophobic!"
I think you ought to update your knowledge and understanding of the region in which you are living. The Neo-Nazi and Far-Right are OFFICIALLY and POLITICALLY back with BANG in the UK and Europe.
Then again … that wouldn't really effect you, now would it??
Again … enjoy the snow. Tell Breivik I said "hei".
Think its you who might need to smarten up.
definition of xenophobic:
Did you really just post this as a reply to my comment?
My goodness, you are a dim one aren't ya?
Well you obviously don't know much about the geopolitics of that region or the world for that matter. EDL in the UK is a fringe lunacy organisation, every country has one. Brevic certainly wasn't Swiss, British or German and the far right generally doesn't control anything of any consequence or importance in the majority of Europe.
The real facists of this world are those who attacked the mall in Kenya or who were responsible for 9/11, and that effects everyone genius.
Utter crap and you know it.
Xenophobia and blatant racism is democratically thriving in that region and you know it.
(Simply Google "right wing racist neo nazi europe".)
Should we review the number of racist attacks and murders in recent times? Breivik alone killed 69 and injured many more.
In addition to that, the economies and general society of the region is very unstable as well.
How many nationwide protests have we seen in recent times? How many marches, general workers' strikes, assaults against police, attacks on governement institutions, violent protests in major cities, mass unemployment, arson, riots, bailouts, defaults, racism in politics and sports, etc.?
(Stop me when I'm lying.)
Yet by your assessment Cayman is falling apart??!
Give me a break buddy.
If you consider that part of the world as "better" then you and I simply have very differing views on what constitutes a stable existence.
Good luck ducking and weaving from the bullets, slabs of concrete and molotov cocktails!
Hope you make it out alive …
(Just for you.)
Making the news rounds at this very moment …
Good riddance. The feeling is mutual, I'm sure.
Really, and who cares what you think Whodatis? You're the lunatic who see's conspiracy and colonial oppression around every corner. You're the idiot that thinks that the Cayman Islands are another 'western metropolis' instead of an irrelevant rock with a bad reputation for criminality.
If you don't want to hear what others think of your pokey little fiefdom, keep your paranoid back stabbing views and sarcastic swipes about other, (more mature and world improving) countries to yourself.
Instead of defending criminality by making cheap jibes, why don't you actually do something about it. Reading online reports isn't the same as actually visiting or living in a country, this guy has at least had the Cayman experience and decided its not for him. You just quote others apparent experiences and plagerise articles to suit your warped view of the evil empire beyond Cayman's shores.
Re: "Really, and who cares what you think Whodatis?"
Ummm … I do believe that would be you, poster.
🙂
Whodatis got his ass kicked, again. Can't come up with a constructive response soresorts to sarcasm, typical.
Did he need to say " it is called "life", son." Says a lot.
Once again Whodatis misses the point and compares apples with oranges. He tries to compare life and crime in multimillion population centers with the mere 50,000 people in Cayman or even less if you focus on Grand Cayman. The small size and population separates Cayman in that a major segment of the population is known and the extended family networkin Cayman makes the levels of violent crime unacceptable here.
There should be a paid and trained security guard at every Government park and public beach with a loaded gun and proper training to use it. Most of the parks and beaches could do with better lighting.
There is a criminal element that does not respect the locked gates at the parks and we all know what the public restrooms at the public beaches are being used for. I've seen with my own eyes, drugs being passed around and sold and I've seem "couples enjoying" the public restroom facility as a place of "business". The decent people who live in the areas close to Govt parks and beaches end up having to dispose of used condoms and sometimes drugs lost in the dark of night. Others have seen guns being sold at boat ramps.
Where are the police?
I can't go to most of the more private beaches on SMB because I'm not a customer or owner and I can't go the public beaches because I'm also not a "customer". What in the hell is an honest person to do?
Between rich developers and the drug dealers/hookers the honest citizens are land locked!
Have you actually reported any of these crimes to the police with descriptions of the people involved..
You are exactly correct Anonymous 12:35. People run off at the mouth, complain, bitch and spout nonsense. What a negative crowd of complaining whining sods. If you see a crime being commited, one as a citizen of moral standing has an obligation to report it. These people are a part of the problem. Simple, it will never get better until all step up to the plate and carry out your civic duty.
My family has been visiting the Cayman Islands every other year or sooner for the last 15 years.
I am canceling our vacation to the Caymans after reading this. As much as I love the island and so many of the people there, I can't expose my family to these levels of crime.
I hope you are able to resolve this soon so we can return to your beautiful and safe island.
– Borden Family
Ok bye!
By the way, i have lived here for 13 years and not had any inident of crime happen to me.
Dont generalize. You dont want to come to vacation here, you have ever right to your decision. Do you hang out at the beach in the dark at 9:30 pm as a tourist? I dont think so.
Are you from the US? Look at your crime statistics before telling us you wont visit here again.
Thanks.
Shouldn't you have been rolled over, why are you still here?
Who are you to dismiss the serious concerns of tourists, who do you speak for?
No crime for you then, well bully for you, tell that to the innocent people who have been shot recently or held at gunpoint in the street or at work. This is an island of 50 to 60,000 people, 50% of which are Caymanian, most of the population lives on the west and south western part of the island and represents the size a small provincial town in the US or UK.
I don't know where you come from, but in my home town, if there was an armed robbery everyday and a gang related murder and shooting with in a week, we would have armed police swarming all over us and the remainder of responsible society out on the streets demanding action.
But not here, here we blame others for our lack of civic pride, domestic failures and uncontrollable youth. We look for scapegoats and live in denial, trying to convince ourselves that this happens in other countries, its part of life, part of a mature society.
Well its not, not on an island with a population this small. We are not the US, we are not Mexico, we are the Cayman Islands and we are the weathiest Caribbean society. This crime is being committed by our own people, on our own people and we need to address that, not seek to bury our heads in the sand and whistle out of our arse's.
We have a serious problem, admit it, deal with it and move on before its too late.
well, they are paying a lot of money to come to a safe destination which is what it is advertised as. They can stay at home for cheap and not be robbed.
The problem here my friend is that 'foreigners', whether workers or tourists are despised by a large proportion of the Caymanian populus. They treat us as second class citizens and deny us basic rights common in the free world.
The problem being that tourists never really meet Caymanians, especially if they don't venture past SMB, so they never really see or hear the racism, discrimination or snarling envy in their voices.
This used to be a civilised place, a gem in the Caribbean, not anymore. It is full of self serving, uneducated bigots who refuse to do a proper days work. Let them have their crime ridden rock, because the way its heading there'll be no one left to continually spoon feed them or wipe their lazy arses.
Sour grapes why are you still here, seems as if you are the one with the gripe against Caymanian and not vice versa.
I'm not, stupid, I left the rock and its racist bigots years ago. Its just good to see that things haven't changed much and Caymanian's are still whining about the colour of their skin and their down trodden existence at the hands of colonial oppressors.
The original settlers from Britain were white and many of their ancestors still are. So, exactly what colour is a Caymanian, because I never saw a uniformed skin tone or ethic profile in all my years living there?
And that was what made Cayman so appealing, all cultures, colours and creeds just rubbing along together. It is the Caymanian nationalist minority that drew a line and claimed a false Caymanian identity and mythical culture and heritage. Everyone else just got wise to the falsehood and said so, a truth you cannot handle.
Such bitterness!
Well hope you are now living somewhere else where you feel welcome.
I will have you know that Caymanians are also treated like second class citizens by some of the foreigners that come here.
Just like you, they look down on us as "uneducated bigots" even if we are educated and think they are somehow better than us by the colour of their skin but we must then simply accept that beahviour and be kind and gracious to the foreigners, yes massah!
What are these basic rights common to the free world that you have been denied?
Every action causes a reaction. Caymanians are not hostile by nature, it is the treatment by foreigners that they have received over the years that has turned some of them defensive which may appear hostile to you.
So what have you done to help the situation? Absolutely nothing but add to the hostility by calling the Caymanians "uneducated bigots who refuse to do a proper days work".
You know why you left where you were to come here and if you find that this place is not a good fit for you, you are welcome to leave and go somewhere else.
I am tired of Caymanians constantly having to defend themselves against people like you who come here, wanting to live here but then proceed to treat the Caymanians as if they are lesser than you and tell them everything that is wrong with their island. Go back to where you came from, we don't need your kind here.
We have had many expats seamlessly integrate in our society over the years, some have been here over 30 years, wonder what they are doing that they made the transition successful? Maybe it is because they don't have an attitude like yours! Saying things like "It is full of self serving, uneducated bigots who refuse to do a proper days work" really does not encourage Caymanians to be warm and fuzzy toward people like you. Apparently you have some education, although limited because you wouldn't be spewing such nonsense if you truly were educated, which again, a lot of expats treat Caymanians with such a condescending attitude because they think they are more educated that they are. So from your own words I can see that the problem is YOU!. You came to my island buddy for whatever reason but since you think that the island is full of "It is full of self serving, uneducated bigots who refuse to do a proper days work" and wish us nothing by no good, if you are still here, you are free to leave by plane, boat, canoe or however you got here.
Sorry guys, just got word that Mrs Chisholms shop on North Side had just been robbed by four gunmen.
This is getting way out of control, stay away and tell your friends.
Whatever dude! You would swear that there is some place in the world where crime like that doesn't happen. In fact I would dare say that wherever you are from, the same thing, if not worse happens. You to Mexico, Bermuda, Aruba, Curacao…..anyone of them have their share of crime. So we must "resolve" the age old problem of crime so that your family can return. What is your idea of "resolving" the issue? Catching the bad guys who robbed the couple or making sure that nobody gets robbed while they are here on the island?
There are three islands. Come on over to Cayman Brac or Little Cayman where you can walk the beach all hours of the night and not be harmed.
Is anything good happening in Paradise?
Don't know about Paradise, this story is about Cayman.
We don't know…the people of Cayman haven't lived there for a long time…
What an effen waste of money, I feel for that safe haven real estate crap and ended up buying a home in cayman and in two years it's been broken in three times while the police just blow it off. People are getting hip to Cayman's scam. I bet these are the same group af folks saying they want Cayman for Caymanians, pretty soon it will be..
Me too, never again, expats and tourists beware, all is not well here in Cayman.
I told you so buddy. Why did you not leave that money in the bank at 3/4% interest instead of investing it in Cayman real estate that returns 10%, just by sitting there locked up. My friend, you bought land in Cayman for the same reason I bought land in Cayman…….greed. You would not give a damn if everyone was robbing everyone in Cayman as long as you got your 10%. Sorry we all had a bad year in real estate and only made 4% this year…it will come back to 10%. One robbery on the beach is too much, but, if I had to be robbed, I pray to God they only take $200.00 and no one gets hurt.
Oh right, so having bought your property you just cash it in when required. Absolute bull, it can take years to sell a property on this island and the costs during that time seriously out weigh the advantages. After the local property managers, gardeners, CUC, WAC and the government have fleeced you for every penny, the realtors add their 7% for doing nothing but raising hopes and facilitating tyre kickers.
No my friend, this is not a good place to invest if you want a return, it is however a good place to buy property and settle. But they don't want you to do that, so they roll you over.
Great investment policy.
Tell that to the couple that got robbed on the beach see if they feel the same way. 200 dollars is a lot of money for most people.
Tourism in Ruins where the hell have you been? Look at who is charge the undertaker who along with his assistant are now enroute in the Hearse to the gravesite to bury her. Cayman financial pillars are in shambles thanks to our corrupt, inept, incompetent leadership over the years. Her Epitaph Reads: She was sold by our local leadership, plundered then murdered by the foreign element.
'Murdered by the foreign element'.
You uneducated, racist ass, its not the foriegners that are murdering and robbing their way around Cayman, its your own flesh and blood, your feral off spring.
Its no wonder that Cayman is in the crap with narrow minded idiots like you.
Its Foreigners you dingbat! Try learn how to spell or engage you brain before you start to type! Another Cayman Hater opens his mouth?
The pirates have landed early! Arrr!
Robbery at popular beach
Governor faces crime surge
Port outlook remains poor
Woman mugged on gt street
So on and so on
just read the news. Its all going to hell. No joke folks
14:53 remind us why you left Europe after 33 years of heaven to come to this crap hole , please go and find the perfect country and come back and let us know , hopefully it's big enough to hold us all, just happy to know the victims were not physically injured , that is the only bright side to this story.
In response, I was convinced by my work that cayman was "the place to be".
I was not expecting naked ladies and free beer but I had expected friendly locals, cheap food and drink (as is normal in most tourist destinations) and to be in a place where I felt safe so I could enjoy my life. It in my opinion cayman is none of the above!
They should call it the cayman con! Nothin there is what it seems. Still thankfully having at least some education I was smart enough to be able to get a job in a real country and after 5 months living in the craphole islands I managed to escape.
Get this though, even though I now pay tax I am still better off than i ever was in the so called tax haven. Plus I am no longer a victim of prejudice, racism or expected to tip some joker 15% for taking the cap off a bottle something which really does not deserve payment for let alone a tip.
You are only haters because in your hearts you know it's true but you're too frightened to say it.
Love reading these responses and the anger that my comments bring. Makes me feel even better for getting the F off the rock.
I already found it an I'm livin there now. Sorry but there ain't room for folks from the robbery capital of the Caribbean. Gotta stay safe ya know?
A perfect country, maybe not. But I bet he could find a small provincial town of 30,000 people where a gun is never seen, let alone used. Where its children are educated to high standards and taught good citizenship by responsible parents, where outsiders are treated as equals under the law and where racism and discrimination are crimes.
No country is without issues, but most small towns can police their streets and raise their children to respect difference and the rights of others.
19:05. Remind us, what is your excuse exactly?
Enough, time to change things people let us come together and send these punks a message that we will not tolerate this type of behavior anymore. We will not live in fear of these thugs report what you know and stop being afraid. If these people are Caymanias lock them up for 25 years if they are expats send them home and send their fingerprints to Interpol and the FBI so that they will be on a register and won't be able to terrorizeother countries. If animals can be tagged and chipped why not criminals? We need to keep society safe.
This needs to stop now. Stiffer prison sentence and instant deportation or irrevocation of status for non Caymanian. This must stop, we are fast becoming what we feared most a land of undesirables.
Good point. We should demand to know why, despite what the Law says, that not a single cabinet status recipient has had their status revoked. There are many criminals amongst them. Attorney General, what is the malfunction. Do you have a conflict or something…oh wait…but…, oh Crap!
I agree with you completely. My belief is that the prison is full to overcrowding and this is a factor in the policing policies of the RCIP in Cayman. If the system did its job and worked there would be no place to house all the added inmates.
Fhis isterrible. From the victims account on Cayman 27 it appears thwy wete very vlose to executing them or at least wanting to shoot them. This is a poor government response to the curbing of violent crime. More lipservice from Officials. We have now started downhill on that proverbial mountain. Much further down we will never recover.
Watching that video on Cayman 27 was a real eye opener to me. I have read about the crime for the last few years and I kept saying to myself "it is not affecting tourists, it is not on the main strip, it is this or that", BUT….when I watched that video….it really struck me
. The women was so honest and open about the attack (yes, attack)….sitting there "chillin, enjoying the breeze" and to have all that destroyed and have a gun put to your loved ones and your face. DISGUSTING.
How can that be happening in Cayman? All those years I have found peace sitting on the beach by myself or with my loved one watching the waves go in and out?
Then the husband honestly telling women to be careful not to go out in darkness. Look at his eyes. Look at her eyes as she is asking them to return her money. SAD! This is not the Cayman that became the home away from home for my family and me.
I have no answers to the crime. I do not believe it is because of lack of jobs as I was out of work before and never even thought to resort to robbery. That is lack of principles, morals. I just wish for peace and calm for the Cayman islands and hope that the two kind people who were robbed on that beach while they were trying to relax will find some comfort in their days ahead.
This is unfortunate, but not surprising. This is a popular spot for that element. There are idle onlookers that are not there to swim or sunbathe. They hang out there in the back trees with the chickens, sparking up all day long looking for a mark. I yelling at some of these guys for having the nerve to spark up in the washroom while kids were around and in there. They operate with impunity under current RCIPS lip service. Anyone who spends time at Smith Cove will know there are people you just stay away from.
i wouldn't walk around smith cove at that time of night….. hopefully the victims were not tourists…
Probably doesn't matter if they are tourists of not. Us tourists do read CNS you know, and I for one am glad I'm here and not there. You people should fix this because Cayman used to be a nice place to come and visit, but I wouldn't go to Cayman now if I won an all expense paid trip.
Over reaction if there ever was…hell people get shot and killed every day in many towns and places in the US..Do we have a problem, yes, is it as bad as elsewhere, no. However RCIPs have got to step up their game..
Not in towns of 45,000 people they don't.
Except Cayman is not a town of 45,000 people.
Yes we do, expecially ones that have Timeshares and own property in Cayman. I myself always have people asking me about Cayman as a place to go on vacation. It's sad that I can't tell them that it's such a safe welcoming place, when it actually isn't any longer..
Smith Bacadare use to be such a beautiful a wonderful place to go swimming and to spend the day. It got a reputation in the '80s but the government went about cleaning up the place and a very good job was done including cutting back lots of trees to what they are today. The area regained its prominence and families and older people returned to enjoy the beach. As someone who lived within a reasonable distance to the beach I frequented the area but noticed questionable changes to the area since 2004. Things at the beach really changed around 2009 and have gone down hill ever since. I remember when it was such a joy to go there at 5:00 am before going off to work on the week days and 7:00am on the weeks ends just to relax and enjoy the beauty. Then came the loud music, inconsiderate parking, drinking and littering the beach, camping out for weeks even at one point a month after Easter and lots of other undesirable activities too place there and were conducted by locals and expats alike. This beach needs proper surveillance before thugs destroy it.
Anon 0439 I could not say it better.
There are some things you dont do.
Dont leave your doors open
Dont leave your windows open
dont show people that you have a lot of money on you
and you just dont go to Smith Cove at night
Didn't we have someone get raped there years ago.
I am so mad! Saw the news interview of this couple on cayman 27.ky
Just listening to their recount of this robbery is heartbreaking, horrible and true. People need safety. Those lights should have been fixed! Shame on those responsible in overseeing this place.
And I admire that they express themselves so genuine and spoke it in true Caymanian! No put on at all. Really worth a watch. Proud they speaking up.
The Boddens are my new champions and I would like to know if they have a fund that I could contribute something to them. These people were violently robbed of their last dollars and it would make me feel good to extend a helping hand.
Could have been us, folks.
Government better get jobs filled fast.
Robberies and firearm incidents are definitely on the steady increase over the last two to three months. I actually heard the "four gun shots" that killed Irvin Bush from the Hell Road area a few nights ago. I guess it's now time I take my licenced firearm out of the locker and sleep/stay closer with her. In any case, it's now six months and is due to get oiled, cleaned and polised, just in case.
Tell me, when is Commissioner Baines or the Government of the day, going to allow law abiding citizens to have some form of personal protection – even pepper spray ?? Imagine the lady that was shot at in Lower Valley – in her own drive way a few nights ago!! Hopefully, the person that was arrested shortly thereafter is the culprit. Come on now, this SHIT has got to be controlled from all angles much sooner than later. We do not need a REACTIVE Police Department but a more PROACTIVE and focused line of defence, including our citizens taking their respective role in reporting known criminal activities involving their family and close friends. Who will it be next, a first time visitor to the Cayman Islands getting a tan on Seven Mile Beach behind our new Governor's residence??
How far away are we from an incident like this resulting in the death(s) of one, or more, tourists, and what will be the resultant backlash in terms of stayover tourism ? The Police cannot be everywhere, every minute of the day, so we must accept that this is now an uncontrollable embedded problem which is NEVER going to go away. We therefore have to ensure that tourists are no longer misled into thinking that this is still a completely safe place, particularly after dark in isolated locations – we owe that to them – so that they can make their own decisions on whether Cayman is an attractive destination. We cannot continue with the " Jaws Syndrome " approach, which pretends that it was not a great white shark that was killing swimmers, and that it is still safe to go in the water – whatever the possible negative economic impact. What price do you put on a human life.
Well said Skeptical. Jamaica lost a huge amount of tourists because of crime and Cayman is headed in the same direction. With such a small population surely we can come to grips with it. I used to live near Smiths Cove, such a delightful place to go. It has also been used to baptize people over the years. I guess in future we can expect cameras to be installed.
Any house with the doors thrown wide open, will collect garbage. It is time for ethnic cleansing. The status grants to undesirables is the main cause of our dilemma. Stop embracing the unknown and learning later, that they are notorious characters.
Too Late for that, just read Trip Advisor. People are already warned about Cayman..
This is really so sad. What has become of our beautiful Island?
Far too much idle people hanging around on island Caymanians and non Caymanians. There needs to be an island wide sweep in many bars in the GT area and barber shops, liquor stores and under trees where many illegals hang out during the day to sell numbers and drugs. This needs to stop. I hope the Governor is brought upto date on this situation. The public beach in BT is another place for idle people to hang out and do illegal activities all day well into the night. As a citizen I am asking the Governor and Inspector of police to get some more police officers from the UK and turn them lose on the streets all over Cayman where they will not come in contact with anyone that they are used to and will let people off who are doing illegal activities like selling numbers and smoking spliffs because they come from the same country. This is the type of behavior that is ruining Cayman and we cannot let it continue.
I used to go to Smith's cove as a boy to have some time alone to swim and think, and there were NO worries!! The beautiful, sweet, safe Grand Cayman I knew as a boy is now completely gone … and probably will never return. I can only cry and remember how she used to be!
As more people are left unemployed (Caymanians and also those on work permits without jobs) these types of crimes are apt to increase. While this is not what we want in our society it is the reality. People are angry and becoming angrier. The government just does not get it or they would not be seeking to extend the term limit for foreign nationals to 10 years.
get real…without expats this place would be like jamiaca/haiti…..
don't use unemployment as an excuse for crime…….
When this place had less or virtually no expats I was paradise heaven on earth Mosquitos and all. Lobsters, Conch, Whelks and Fish in abundance no one starved like they did in other countries.
ah yes the 'good ole days' gibberish……if you like that so much i would advise you to go to the brac!
for what? Mosquitoes? whelks, lobsters, etc are pretty scarce.
How do you spell heedjut 18;15?
BULL CRAP. Its people like you that make those punk idiots feel that they have reason in court.
Did you hear about the idiots in Jam over the past week trying to rob a bank? They got exactly what they deserve. They and this other punks idiots might belong to someone yes, but there are far more good people in this islands than the few idiot punks. Stop blaming Goverment and Jobs as the excuse. They are sorry donkeys idiot punks with no care or no up bringing that do not care about what is the effect to the overall Cayman Islands when they doing this. They dont want to work, they will not get a Job and they just dont care. Thats the way Idiot Punks Criminals are. I hope the Good lord will allow them to approach the right wrong person and let them have exactly what is expected of those Idiots.
I'm not excusing it… But everything has a cause and effect. You disagree with that too?
Hope not, cuz it's universal law. Go ahead and keep looking at it from your limited angle… Is crime new? Are we the first? No.
Long term societal approaches can have both positive and nagative effects on crime….
You fight for more prison space… And I'll fight for better education.
Tomato… Tomahhhto.
And do think they just popped out that way? Or that their mother strived for that for them?
They are ignorant and cowardly… Sure. Okay. Their fault.
question is… How are we going to try to mitigate the risk of more of our youth taking this route?
At the end of the day… That is what matters. Lack of education and opportunity can breed ignorance.
You don't have to agree… Just read some articles… Google will help… Check this out you know it all… You may not agree. But it'sthe reality. I'm not making it up.
http://www.poverties.org/poverty-and-crime.html.
It is disheartening to see so many thumbs down when I got a comment that finally mentioned the elephant in the room. You can ignore it all you want… Lock your doors and suggest bigger prisons… The NERVE. If we don't acknowledge that education, immigration and other core Cayman societal issues are at the core of this then well we will never be able to fix it.
We are following a very clear path… Other countries have gone down this path and for some reason we aren't wise enough to pay attention… We kept thinking it could never happen to us. We are so different… Or so we thought.
This is not an employment issue. It is alazy, selfish, criminal issue. Stop making excuses.
?So reality is Caymanians are criminals with jobs? Explains a lot.
There are many people without jobs who would never resort to this type of behavior. To constantly say this behavior is related to unemployment is over simplifying a deeply entrenched behavior pattern that starts with strong parenting and the lack thereof. When parents give in to the whims of toddlers and then tie the hands of schools to enforce discipline at an early age then consequential behavior becomes inconsequential.
Further when children and onward sit in front of games and tv and movies that glorify violence it is like an immunization shot to the brain it numbs the reality of violent crimes and activity so it never becomes real it's just another game right?
when we as a society throw up our hands and say it is hopeless nothing is going to change then indeed we are correct because it starts with us one person at a time, taking full responsibility for our own actions and if we are parents then for the action of our children. How many of you would turn in your own child for petty theft? When I was about five I took an icecream cone from a grocery store freezer. When my mother found out she took me to the store manager and had them announce over the loudspeaker what I had done she then organized with that same manager for me to work off the value of what I had taken by dusting the cans on shelves I could reach.
I did not wind up a traumatized adult instead I can assure you I learned right from wrong and I have never been tempted to even take a writing pen from where I work. I mention this because it shows the strength of a parent and a community willing to work together to teach a child what is acceptable and what is not.
I will conclude that I experienced serious unemployment in my life where I had to choose between feeding myself or the animals I chose to adopt, I fed the animals, lost a few pounds but never turned to theft or robbery.
Stop making excuses.
I can relate to what you're saying, only difference with my experience was that I once got caught taking a bag of chips from the corner store by the manager who called my father to come and get me, he also arranged for me to work the whole summer at the store but it was the belt me took to my behind that I remember the most. Point is I learned a valuable lesson that stuck with me for life, now how would my life have been if my father came up to the store a cussed the manager out on my behalf..
And again you idiots blame your own issues on someone else, stop pointing the finger and clean up your own backyard..
This isn't about expat labour or out of work Caymanians. This scum are home grown and a product of poor educational standards, bad parenting and your entitlement culture. These idiots don't want to abide by society's rules, they don't want work because crime pays more and they don't care if you're angry.
The simple fact is that Cayman society is broken and its been broken by Caymanians who can't or won't understand the importance of hardwork and civic duty. Why aren't Caymanians queuing to become law enforcers or security guards, why aren't they signing up to be special constables, why aren't they reporting those in their families or amongst their friends for gang membership or other criminality?
They're not because they don't want to get involved, it's someone else's problem, let someone else deal with them and then criticise when something goes wrong. Unfortunately some Caymanian's can't see beyond their noses, they blame everything on immigration, expats, work permits, unemployment and the police, when they should be looking at their own impotence to control their own youth. For too long they have been fed a diet of entitlement, the right to take without question because they're Caymanian.
Well, news flash, its back firing big time and you need to get a grip. Expats are wise to your deflections, your prejudices and discrimination, they know that they are the default scapegoat for your lack of integrity, the point is when are you going to catch up and deal with your own?
There is no excuse for this except that some people in society are not teaching their children good principles and values and respect for other people. Why in the hell don't they go fishing, or plant some cassava and pumpkin rather than destroying the decent name and image that Caymanians were known for? Why do they have to do what the idiots in the rest of the world do? Come on Caymanians, we can't continue this way and neither should we be influenced by those who are not from here into this sort of degrading crap!
There is absolutely no excuse for this type of crime. Let it continue and all of us will see the outcome. Investors will leave (they have left islands just as beautiful because of crime), workers will leave and very few Caymanians with nowhere to go will be left. I trust that we are not foolish to let that happen as no one under the age of 40 that is Caymanian knows what hard life is. I guess we've had it too too good for too long and don't appreciate thegood that we have anymore. I know that there are some Caymanians without job and government needs to address this by ensuring that Caymanians that are qualified are given job opportunities and I am sure that this is happening. However until the rules of the game changes in relation to the ease in which people can now secure jobs in Cayman this will only serve as an excuse for the criminals to justify their actions and blame it on "I am unemployed and can't find a job". There is no excuse for any Caymanian who wants a job should not be able to get one that they are qualified to do. Maybe it is now time for the gov to revisit the immigration law and do away with the rollover policy in its entirety and adopt the policies of the Caymanian Protection Law because that was the only time that the immigration laws worked well for Caymanians and non Caymanian.
You make it sound so scary but honestly… Part of me hopes we go through a period when foreigners want nothing to do with Cayman.
I will buy your big house for cheap and grow bananas in your backyard where your kids currently play by your pool.
Of course it will take many years to regroup after ridding purselves of the pirates again… Sometimes you have to go backwards before you can forward.
So…… GO! We will survive. Don't believe us. Try it. Don't answer or thumb down. Just pack bags and GIT!
You still here?
Yes idiots are messing up the good name of Cayman just like many in other jurisdictions did when a hungry man became an angry man. Let the disenfranchisement continue and government will be forced to pay 55,000 per annum to keep one person in Northward as oppose to spending less for education that will be of benefit to the country. I will never understand why our population is so small and government is so unwilling to provide free education to natives from the cradle and beyond like most countries in Europe do.
I presume the influence you refer to is the endless stream of violent movies, computer gaming, hip hop 'music' and gang affiliation.
Surely you're not blaming those dastardly 'foriegners' that are responsible for almost every other problem that Cayman faces.
No, you must be referring to the influence, (or lack thereof) of Caymanian parenting skills, the money grabbing hypocracy of the numerous Cayman church's, the appalling standard of Cayman education, the poisonous Caymanian entitlement culture, poor Caymanian civic and political leadership, and a general Caymanian 'nose in the trough' mentality.
This anti social behaviour will not stop until Caymanian's change the way they conduct their society. Stop blaming everyone else, take your heads out of the sand and fix your dismembered society.
Have our gun laws kept the guns out of the hands of the criminals?
Yes, probably a lot of them. Just not these two.
NO !!! Change your laws, arm up, you need the right to defend yourself. WAKE UP
Yep, that works so well in the US.
These two idiots ruin tourism for hundreds/thousands of people and for the Caymanian community all over some cash and a cell phone. Not too bright, eh?
If they aren't equipped enough for even the most basic of jobs in the hotels… And let's just go with your point and so it is their parents fault… What are they to do? Line up at social services? That line is so long… Stealing then seems like an option worth exploring. You can expect Caymanians to be made of a different grain than other nationalities but that won't get us far. Study societies world wide… Disenfranchise a large group of people and Dan wah u get!
Oh wow! These cowards are now hitting the popular tourists spots! Won't be too much longer that these spots will be too popular with any tourists.
What has happened to peaceful Cayman? What a shame!
Yes what has happened to peaceful Cayman? I'll tell you greed, out of control young people, lack of opportunity for young people, young people turned out of school without proper skills, too much TV and computer games and not enough time on school work, we had better nip it in the bud before it is too late.
Cayman is still peaceful, try that crap at Camana Bay and see what will happen. Thank God for Dart and what he is doing at Public Beach at least people will feel safe there.
That's it. We are effed. I hope no one babbles on about safe streets, beaches etc anymore. It is all gone. So sad in a country where people didn't even used to lock doors. All (or mostly all) committed by our own lazy greedy entitled little cowardly S.O.Bs
Please it is bad but don't make it worst than it really is these low life punks will be caught. There is still Law and order in Cayman people. If we need assistance the UK will provide it a few rogues will not control us, the police chief will put this under control shortly. PPM it is time to look into the immigration status of everyone on this island. We need house to house early morning raids, job site and business checks. We need to clean this country of illegals if they are here one day or 10 years. Caymanians we need to stop the crimes this is not what we are known for less than 15 years ago I use to leave my doors unlocked and go on vacation for as much as two weeks and no one went inside my house this is what we are known for.
These low life punks are Caymanian low life punks, stop blaming immigration, its your own people.
Wake up!!!
The start and end all! Mr. Premier, your excellency governor, mr Blaine's, Dan Scott and Bridget kirkconnell you see where this country is at?
We are done…..we cannot even go and enjoy the beach in day light? Worst yet I use to enjoy fishing from the beach with a couple of cold ones t sunset. What should I do now? How should we live?
No worries the governmet is stable and our dear leader is in Miami with he boys what a mess we are in!
I wonder if you really think Aldenis controlling these criminal actions and that by being away he is somehow allowing them to perpetrate crimes? The sad part is that Caymanians have now raised a bunch of criminals and jobs or no jobs, these criminals are still going to commit crime. Heck, they don't want jobs if you even paid them to do nothing. Bunch of wasters.
One has nothing to do with the other.
this robbery thing is out of control ! people can't even enjoy the beach anymore , especially these little beaches , when are the police going to start setting traps to catch these criminals , the same how they go undercover to catch drug dealers they can pose as targets to catch these robbers , they should realize by now that conventional policing is not working.
What an island. Once a magnet for the masses to enjoy the beautiful beaches, and ocean breezes. Now Cayman is a haven for murder, robbery, theft, slayings and a host of other hideous crimes. God help you if you own Tv's. The lower than plant life scum will break into your home literally, rip the tv's off the wall and ruin your home and anything else. Guess what the friendly police do. Well, they'll use black permanent finger print powder everywhere, even if it is unrelated to the crime. Try to get the junk off. GOOD LUCK. The worst part is that the cops couldn't find an elephant in a bathroom. Your stuff of course is gone forever and the perps will never be found. I'm done. SAYONARA
Now the tourism sector is being targeted.
"Just another day… for you and me… in paradise."
Paradise, more like crap hole
Lived inEurope for 33 years and never so much as had a pint of milk stolen from my doorstep.
Lived in cayman for 4 months had my house burgled and my car crashed into (hit and run).
both times the police did nothing and to replace my stolen goods and the broken parts on my car was tantamount to rape (oh but it's an island everything is expensive, rubbish). Hence the crap hole remark.
I used to sound cool when I told my friends "oh I live in cayman" in reality I felt like a liar. Don't know what the fuss is about, it's small, expensive, racist and crime ridden. My friends thought I was mad for leaving but I knew that personal safety comes before sunshine.
Part of me feels sorry for the people of the island but then after the hard times I had trying to settle and live there I think to myself, man I hope the place burns to teach them a lesson long long overdue.
Shame really that only cayman holds such a hateful place in my heart amongst all the countries I have lived in and visited
but what about caymankind???
It was Caymankind – armed robbery is the new norm in Cayman, and hey, at least they finally decided not to shoot the poor people they were robbing. That's kind, sort of.
Don't know about the rest of your rant, but hit and run is a national pass time. We have a body count to show for it.
As you can see from all the thumbs down Cayman islands as they are is still a paradise for those who follow the pirate code. And there is a lot of them.
Yes, I feel your pain anon 14;53, but because of persons just like you that our foolish governments consistently and are still pandering to and is now dependant on revenue from immigration fees, like a drug addict who have come here and want to turn this place into their little enclave and kingdom by displacing it's own people has cause this crap hole situation as you rightly put it. Infact our very own police service has filled its ranks with people just like you who hold envy, malice, hatred for our little island and its people and who only see it only as a cash cow for your hopes and dreams at the expense of us. So thank you for telling us like its is, my only hope is that many others like you will do the same and leave and infact spread the word to those thinking of coming here with their little nasty racist agenda's so we can get back to a decent place for our own people to live and enjoy. Thank you once again for your vindictive and vicious post about us burningwhich seems to happen more times than often in your homeland and cities. For all his supporters on here why don't you join him in holy matrimony and hold his hand and do us all a favor by now also leaving here too , since you have now publicly added your comtempt for these islands and its people you ungrateful bast#@%$.
Well said Raffaelle, well said you are my national hero right next to Jim Bodden and Orman Pantone, please run for office and we will make you president for life. Thank you, thank you!
Mind the door on the way out.
No need – door was stolen last week.
And you won't be the last. This country is falling apart under the strain of corruption, incompetance, entitlement and yes, racism.
For too long this island has enjoyed the kick backs that came with the birth of a growing financial and tourism market. A market formed off the backs of the 'foriegners' you so depise, the same foriegners who bought prosperity through investment and develpment. The same foriegners who are leaving, only to be replaced by other foriegners from further afield who are prepared to work hard for less, so forcing down incomes.
Well, those prosperous foriegners are going, leaving for home or other more welcoming shores where they are not treated as second class citizens by a population that appears lost in its own self pity. I feel sorry for the honest, hard working Caymanian's who wonder where it all went wrong and why their kids are growing into self entitled ingrates.