Cash van robbery foiled
(CNS): Three masked armed men were reportedly foiled in their efforts Monday to rob a cash van at a local supermarket, by a security guard. Police were on the scene just after midnight at the Fosters Food Fair in the Strand shopping centre, off the West Bay Road in what was the second crime of the night involving a fire arm. Once again the suspects are believed to have fired their guns near the scene but it is understood they fled empty handed before approaching the van which was collecting money from the supermarket after it closed for the evening. Police set up roadblocks in the wake of the failed heist in which it is understood no one was hurt. (Photos Dennie Warren Jr)
Police reported that the armoured van was parked outside the supermarket at about 11:40pm. The security officer who was on duty within the shopping area saw three masked 
men all dressed in black at the back of the Fosters building.
When the men saw the guard one of them pointed a gun at him before they all ran off but a shot was heard being discharged as they ran from the scene. Police said that the masked men did not directly approach the armoured security van or the staff.
Category: Crime
This is not about Expats or Caymanian this is about effective policing vs useless police strategy, this is about real crime fighters vs PR personel. We need leader who are willing to call the shot and are not affraid of criminals like the jokers we have now. We had UK officers who use to work with US, Caymanian and Jamaican officers and they were very effective and were getting the job done and the criminals were fearful of them. Do you guys remember the real DTF with Dereck Haines, Gillard, Mel Brown and the rest of those guys.
They were a bit un conventional but guess what they use to get the job done. They were respected and loved by the Judiciary, the Govt. and the Business community but were feared by the criminals. Being a prison officer I can tell you all that even the criminals know the difference and keep saying that the RCIP now is filled with toy soldiers and paper tigers.
Its open season now on drug and gun runnings and as to robberies they are having a field day because the know the RCIP policy when it comes to robbery, come after the crime and hope to catch. We need to hire officers who by merely mentioning there names drives fear into the hearts of these criminals but if we continue with these toy soldiers sorry to say nothing will change.
No , Crime is good for the Premier. It's not his Job. It's the Governors Job in Macs own words. Although I don't think anyone told the Governor. It keeps people busy so they focus away from the Premier.
Mrs. McLean WROTE: (not verified) on Tue, 06/07/2011 – 13:39.
I dont think it's only the RCIPS to blame. This might have to start with Customs and Immigration as well.
Leave Customs out of this – that is a family business and one that has there own set of problems like revenue collecting. While Customs is a Law Enforcment Agency, the former Commissioner had taken the right for them to hold a firearm in the course of their duties unless they were in a joint unit with the RCIP. Customs is not set up to stop violent crime. Baines has taken that role. Customs is a revenue collecting agency for the most part and that is the direction that the family business of the Powery name wants to keep it.
all these robberies and we cant even hear a HELLO from the Premier!!!
The two major problems the police have are proximity and capacity and unless the police are going to become security guards for businesses (I hope not), they will not in most cases, have either. In the past when more private persons were armed crime rates were lower, now that the RCIPS is working hard to disarm individuals lawful ownership, crime is higher. Part of a more comprehensive security strategy will need to be armed security guards and individuals. The Private Security Services Law, 2007 allows for the Commissioner of Police to issue firearms to security officers, once applicants apply for the firearms under the Firearms Law: http://www.rcips.ky/firearms_applications.htm
The Commissioner of Police’s bias against lawful private firearm ownership generally is also a major obstacle to capturing the robbers. Section 18(1) of the Firearms Law (2008 Revision) reads: "No person shall discharge any firearm on or within forty yards of any public road or in any public place except – in the lawful protection of his person or property or of the person or property of some other person". Simply put, the Commissioner of Police’s bias against lawful private firearm ownership is greater than his love for your right to protect your life and property by means of firearms.
If you don't mind, may I quote:
"Among the many misdeeds of British rule in India, history will look upon the Act depriving a whole nation of arms as the blackest."
– Mohandas Gandhi, An Autobiography, pg 446.
yes lets all get guns and shoot the people who we decide are worthy of such response. Lets first of all shoot anyone we see has a gun, then anyone we mistakenly believe has a gun, and then someone we just think might have one. Lets do it when we are sobre and in control of all our senses and not filled with anger or anything else that might cloud our judgement. I will feel much safer when everyone has a gun. I see whata huge difference it has made in America where everyone can carry a gun and it has impacted very positively on the level of gun crime. In fact it has reduced it a lot. I am with the gun lobby the whole way………
It seems that gun crime is almost a daily event. We have a totally ineffective and useless police department. Just looking at the unkempt and unprofessional way they carry on is sickening. They are USELESS.
Then, to make matters worse the police employ statistics and publish statements of utmost stupidity to say overall crime is down.
Perhaps only when the Governor himself is robbed then something will be done. The whole of the police should be reviewed and the useless ones (most of them) just fired and replaced with disciplines professionals whether they are expat or local.
RCIPS shame on you for your poor attitude and service – USELESS
I recall some time ago that the police commissioner said that he wanted to rely on "community policing" and the "relationship" that the officers formed with the public. HELLO!!! Our officers need guns. What would happen if a police patrol officer was heading into a bank and the robbers were heading out? What? They are going to say to the robbers; hey just give me time to call the USG???? I think the root of the problem is that we do not have enough officers trained in the use of fire arms to handle the situation. Can Mc Keever cancel some of his frivolous trips and maybe give us some more funds for training????????????????????
Don't these guys get it? The stores don't have any money. The banks don't have any money. The restaurants and bars don't have any money.
The only ones with money are the Premier and the MLAs and they've built themselves a castle on Elgin Avenue and you are not getting in.
Get used to being poor.
Actually Tue, 06/07/2011 – 17:11 you are right about HOW it happened but do you you have any solutions HOW to deal with it?
How dumb can people be, from blaming status grants, to a peoples miltia, to comparing money being made from these criminal actions – trying to draw the same conclusions as the wars the US has launched on the Middle East to what is going in Cayman is just about as crazy and dumb as what Mr. Baines is shoveling to us. Crime is down………yeeah go outside and see what is down – maybe a RCIP member with his pants, but not crime! But the fact remains that the Police NOR the Governement is at true fault. The true blame is the people of these Islands with our habits of being with 20 different men, having children with 7 of them all before the old age of 24! The blame is that you nor can any of your 7 children read, although in fairness the last 3 are just about under 3 years old! The blame is that you guys are breeding like a wild animal not even knowing who your child is. This is where the blame is. Not someone getting a status grant or Keevy going to Asia or the RCIP having trouble with adding two plus two as Mr.Baines has stated. This is not the root of the problems. The problem is society has been raped of all moral actions – and please for you bible thumping fanatics, it is the era of the religous households that reared people that are producing these thugs. I for one am tired of the blame game and start looking at who really is causing these issues and if you think I am wrong, at somepoint these peolple will be arrested or at least some will – let us see the passports!
Well, we could always form a peoples militia. I'd love to organize it. But please, I'm an ex-pat…let me sell my house and bank the money so when government kicks me off I'll be ready for it.
Boy i tellin' you; tings gettin' worse now. don' know man….. dis gettin' worse now man. no long before tings really star gettin' marsh up all over.oh boy tellin' you.
I dont think it's only the RCIPS to blame. This might have to start with Customs and Immigration as well.
I'm starting to think it's not only our own Caymanian's doing this stuff. I'm starting to think people are coming here for somequick cash and leaving on a next flight.
Must be some reason, why no one is being caught.
Immigration might have to start watching people who make frequent trips, or Customs may have to check more for these guns, I mean seriously there is a lot of darn guns here.
With that said. I going home and shutter up my house,and lock up until this manages to calm down. If it ever does.
I am baffled why the MLAs, Governor, RCIPS, etc. are unable to take any action on this.
I hear there's just been another bank robbed. It gets texted to phones & everyone knows what goes down in minutes, so how come police always turn up late & never catch anyone?! More stop & search is needed as are stake outs & undercover work.
The public are getting more angry at the lack of effective action (read the blogs!). If we want something done we gotta do it ourselves! There are armed robberies every day now. The Government & those running the police need to be replaced. We need private security company patrols or the citizens to take action ourselves before things get even worse.
They are not unable to act, just unwilling. Want to know why the politicians are not willing to act, ask yourself who benefits.
While this alarming and the Police COULD do better in apprehending these criminals, is it really them to blame? I think not. These criminals are being produced locally like the old timers use to grow bannanas. The RCIP is not putting the guns in the hands of these fine mis-guided youth "dat no unna give a job to cuz de jobs given to expats ". The Police are not harming the community. The parents are the ones are to blame. Stop making exuses for these kids and open your eyes. They do not want to work, do not want to read, nor do not want to do anything that involves thinking skills. They would rather light a rock up or drink red stripe all day then get a job. Then their mamas make exuses for the poor little boy who noone will tolerate them and treats them bad. Wake up Cayman and hold a mirror – you may not like what you see.
Looking at my country from the outside is so heartbreaking, never thought I would live to see Cayman go down this way 🙁
We were warned many times by sensible people and those that had Cayman and it's own people at heart, not their pockets. There are so many things that has changed over the years and alot of it has stemmed from "POLITICS" which is the down fall in every country not just Cayman. It's not what you know but who you know and it should never be this way.
For a country that has seen so much wealth, we are certainly very far behind. We aren't short of cars, concrete buildings, bars, restaurants and churches. There's not one decent facility that we could host the Miss Cayman contest at, something as elegant as this and you dress up in your best to go sweat and get eaten by sand flies and mosquitos.
Our government's main focus is on selling our country and spending money on things that we really don't need so they can get their kickbacks and names on plaques.
CAYMANIANS need to wake up and stop smelling all the wrong things, we need to educate our future and make positive changes in our country or otherwise "dog eat your supper".
How many of us would be willing to put our finger prints on file ?
It will be okay, the Lund Team will make it so there has never been a better time to buy in Cayman and our property values will rise
I just heard that CNB Savannah just got robbed. Is this true? What is happening to Cayman? TIme to bring in a special unit, Bring back old officers that know how to investigate and solve these crimes.
Meantime not a single public protest was organized in cayman, no press conferencesdemanding answers from the government. Public servants must be held accountable. Not Caymanian or not business communities. Everyone on this island is afraid of retaliation?
Ok my question with all these robberies thats been taking place it sames to be less police on the road or patroling the streets what is up with this. What are your guys waiting for another gentle man to loose his lifel like what happen a few years ago. After that for a few months every where there were a cash van there was officers all around with guns then things stop and so did the officers . You are getting paid a salary like everyone else get up and do something instead of handing out tickets for lil or nothen as many robberies that has happen how many have been solve ???????
We need some heads to roll in the police department and the Governorneeds to take some action now before this situation becomes an international embarrasment if it hasn't already.
Commissioner Baines in my opinion is inept and has no plan and needs to be replaced with someone who can do what is necessary to curb crime in Cayman.
Why aren't there patrols particulalry on SMB and other hot spot areas that are subject to these types of robberies and crimes? Some of the same places get robbed over and over again an yet the police can never catch or prevent these acts from happening. In fact, were in not for the courage of the two Caymanian Fishermen, that robbery would have went unsolved anyway. Why can't the police get any inntelligence before these things happen? What about using covert means and personnel to get the job done? It doesn't take a whole lot of common sense to see that someo f these things need to be done. The police rushing to the scene unarmed long after the crime has been committed is doing absolutely nothing but wasting gas and putting other people in jeopardy.
There must be hundreds of unsolved robberies since this Police Commissioner arrived. Why is he allowed to carry on in this manner? Any other person would be fired if they were not producing but oh yeah i forgot he is a civil servant and is untouchable.
I hope the Governor is reading these posts or somebody close enough to get to him does. I am sure the Commissioner isn't because that would be doing something which he obviously appears not to do.
Cayman is getting like the wild west. Shootings, robberies daily. So much for crime free. It really is getting worse. I blame the fact that everyone seems to be really selfish and although they pretend to be community minded and donate stuff to charity there is little charity for their fellow man on a day to day basis. Just look at how aggressive and selfish people are in their cars when they are driving every day. There are no standards any more. Parents don't instill any discipline, everyone takes what they can get and just want to be famous and wear bling and play aggressive music. Whatever happened to society. Its not just here but everywhere but you notice it a lot here.
I was going to post a comment but then I realized that there is nothing left I or anyway else could say that hasn't already been said at least a thousand times over the last few months.
What was that looney toons cartoon when they said "which way did they go, which way did they go?"
That would be Elmer Fudd when he chases Bugs Bunny!
Police need to start being more strategic. The Commissioner of Police makes more than 10,000 dollars a month. The Superintendents, Chiefs are making close to that figure. Where is the leadership? Why aren't there officers posted at certain locations? Is it the money? Is it more officers they need?
That is sure a VERY HANDSOME SALARY with a Crime Rate out of Control .
Quote from Police yesterday on seizure of two hand guns:
Detective Inspector Lauriston Burton said the seizure was connected with efforts to deal with the recent rise in robberies.
“The operation was mounted as part of overall strategy to tackle the rise in armed robberies and reduce the number of firearms available for use by the criminal element.
Since the seizure, the following headlines have been reported:
http://centos6-httpd22-php56-mysql55.installer.magneticone.com/o_belozerov/31115drupal622/crime/2011/06/06/pizza-man-shot-flare-gun
http://centos6-httpd22-php56-mysql55.installer.magneticone.com/o_belozerov/31115drupal622/crime/2011/06/07/cash-van-robbery-foiled
http://centos6-httpd22-php56-mysql55.installer.magneticone.com/o_belozerov/31115drupal622/crime/2011/06/06/woman-finds-bullet-outside-home-east-end
http://centos6-httpd22-php56-mysql55.installer.magneticone.com/o_belozerov/31115drupal622/crime/2011/06/03/second-gas-station-robbed
I have just been informed by one of my co-workers that the CNB in Savannah has just been robbed as I type this….road block at Hurleys.
And Mac and his cronies claim crime is down.
Guess they didn't get the right two. Two is two less but won't make a dent. We are in crisis!
Baines is the problem, let him fight gun crimes with unarmed officers.
What can they do for us but write after the crime reports?
Waste of money… my money ……
Gladly pay for a plane fare to the UK
Time for an outside task force – not from the Caribbean – like RCMP -don't introduce them to anybody local, house them away from locals, and turn them loose to clean up the gangsters and the would-be gangsters, and the top dog drug pushers. Drastic circumstances call for drastic measures. If something isn't done, some innocent person is going to lose their life, or someone is going to take the law into their own hands and end up going to prison for these terrorists.
09:55 why dont you hush, The commissioner of Police, the commissioner of police. The supt. of Police .the chief's. You really got it in for the police. Give it a break, and talk about something constructive..
09;55 He also makes a lot of speeches at public and social occassions. He loves it and seems to be good at it.LOL
Needs to be more random car checks….aka profiling…it's so obvious it is right in front of your noses
Why can't we have Dirty Harry instead of Clean Baines
Procactive patrol my a$$ aaaah the Caymanian gets fool again again again with all these police.Lack of confidence they say!
Poor old Cayman another day another robbery and like naya boy said all talk no action and Cayman heads further down where we were told we would not be by our foreign experts who claim they had all the answers. Cayman needs to awaken from this foolish dream, those who uttered in this big change needs to be held accountable for his situation.
Everyday de bucket go a well one day the bottom a go drop out……….do not worry Cayman cause soon and very soon they are each gonna end up in jail or 6 ft. 6,home sweet home.
Are we going to wait until marshall law needs to be imposed before we get someone in here that has the experience in dealing with these armed robberies?
This is where the Police, has to do undercover security work themselves and be on the constant look out for these crooks. Have arm officers posted at certain locations they believe these crooks will hit next. From time they hit the gas stations, the Commissioner, Superintendent, or Chief should have ordered arm officers posted at the other gas stations to confront them. I wonder if the Police have a strategic plan on monitoring the armored vans movements. Because this foiled robbery may have these crooks more determined to hit the van or possibly another bank. I can't see how you have a service with over 300 plus officers, and there is no "look out" on certain key locations. How is it that the only time you see Police is after the incident? It just makes me wonder! They talk about getting more UK officers here, and they can't even manage the ones they got now to fight crime!
Ridicklus everybody saw this coming, why couldn’t the police? Like a previous poster said previously so much said so little done and nothing proactive about the police at all.Its time Cayman we take back our police service from this hocus pocus foreign leadership who clearly have filled the up ranks with their friends and cronies who have absolutely nothing to offer but blame the public for this crime onslaught. As for the Local senior leadership assisting them you should be fired or dismissed for your incompetence.
Hocus pocus foreign leadership? I was born here and even I will admit that the police force didn't havetoo many problems prior to the 'political' appointinment of the first caymanian to the Commisioner of Police. Although a decent man, two years of Mr. B****s poor leadership dropped the bottom out of enforcement and started the downward spiral we're still recovering from.
I agree that the police are currently lacking and need to be more aggressive and proactive instead of reactive, but I don't care if someone is local or expat as long as they get the job done. FYI – Police do need the help of the public and local citizens in any jurisdiction, whether Cayman, UK, etc. and I'msure someone in the public does know who's committing these crimes but isn't coming forward.
How many of our young Caymanians are inspired to become police and 'take back' the police service as you demand? How many will be qualified? How many Caymanians are ready, willing and qualified to join the ranks now? Are you? Why don't you join up? Please use your head and keep silly xenophobic demands to yourself and your 'friends and cronies'.
Damned Right! Most foreign police have ABSOLUTELY NO place in Cayman. Go and police your own countries and we'll give our renegades a little less human rights with a 2 by 4 up the side of the head.
If the foreign police left tomorrow, I promise you, crime would decrease significantly.
I think the police are here to protect the human rights of the criminals.
Actually, I know some awesome foreign police here, but they are not in any position to make a difference and they are certainly in the minority.
As of 30th June 2010 183 of the 223 police officers were non-Caymanians (see http://www.pocs.gov.ky/pls/portal/docs/PAGE/PCSHOME/FOI/DOCLIBRARY/ANNUAL%20REPORT%20FOR%20FISCAL%20YEAR%2009_10.PDF). And I would bet that some of the Caymanians are status holders that xenophobes like you wouldn't consider Caymanian.
Now, granted this number includes administrative support staff, but considering that most of the administrative staff are most likely Caymanian, we can very safely assume that less than 20% of the police are "foreign".
Contrary to your ridiculous assumption, I would bet that if more than 80% of the force left the island overnight there would be a HUGE increase in crime!
COME ON RCIPS! HOW MANY MORE OF THESE EMBARASSMENTS CAN YOU TAKE! You can catch some fool trying to sell a condo BUT you can't catch men with GUNS that can kill someone!! Will it actually take a dead body for you to FINALLY live up to your JOBS. THIS IS YOUR JOB TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE!!
McKeeva, Governor, SOMEBODY let's do SOMETHING!!! YOU SHOULD ALL BE ASHAMED!
Dont worry they will soon reach your door front, because these robberies are about the Cayman population Vs the expat population. What you dont know wont hurt you they say.
you need your brain check
It should read "You need your brain checked."
practice makes perfect Awlrence.
its "lawrence"!
Huh?! We need to be pulling together on this issue rather pitting expats against Caymanians.
Great, this is all that our wealthy SMB condos owners need to see. They come here to get away from crime and now it's at their own grocery store across the street. It is only a matter of time until these criminals start stalking moonlit beach walkers.
If we need to triple the police force to get rid of these punks, then do it, but this crime spree needs to stop.
We asked for dogs now we have them; please use them on regular patrols – dogs are much smarter than we are so pls….
Security companies pls give your security guards DOGS because we know they can't carry guns and I guarantee a few well trained dogs and handlers ain't nothing to romp with!!!!!!!