Police Capture Suspect After Five Hour Standoff

November 19, 2013

[Updating: At 11am today police responded to a burglary in progress in Warwick. Police initially arrested 3 people and said the 4th suspect “fled from the house and barricaded himself in a house close by.”

After a 5 hour period which saw a large police presence descend on the area, the suspect was arrested by police at just past 4pm.]

At around 11am today [Nov 19] armed police responded after reports of a burglary in progress in Warwick, and one suspect is presently “contained” in the house, while three men have been arrested.

Multiple police vehicles and officers are on scene, and traffic in the area is being diverted.

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Police Media Manager Dwayne Caines said: “A few minutes after 11am police responded to burglary in progress at a dwelling in the Rocklands Crescent area of Warwick.

“Three men have been arrested and one man is being contained in a dwelling in the area. There is an active police presence and traffic is being diverted away from the area.”

When asked about unofficial reports that a firearm may have been involved, Mr Caines said it is an “active scene” and as such is “too early to divulge any critical information.”

Details are limited at this time, however we will update as able.

Update 1.11pm: Armed police officers are visible on the scene. The Police Canine Unit have just arrived.

Update 1.22pm: The heavy police presence continues. Car drivers who want to turn onto the blocked off road are being turned away, and everyone appears to very cooperative about it.

Update 1.26pm: It looks as though residents from nearby homes are being escorted out by police.

Update 1.39pm: Additional police continue to arrive.

Update 2.03pm: More police officers have just arrived. There is a substantial police presence at this time.

Update 2.30pm: It’s been just over 3 hours so far

Update 3.00pm: The situation remains the same.

Update 4.00pm: As far as we are aware the suspect is still in the house.

Update 4.16pm: Police confirm they just took the suspect into custody…details coming

Update 4.41pm: Police confirm they initially arrested 3 people and the 4th suspect “fled from the house and barricaded himself in a house close by.”

They said with the help of a crisis and hostage negotiator, the person was brought out of the house. They said there is “no evidence to support a firearm was used and a firearm was not found.”

Chief Inspector Jerome Laws said the police would like to thank the community for their cooperation during the operation.

Update 4.58pm: Audio of statement from police:

Update 5.04pm: For obvious reasons we didn’t want to post too much footage showing police activity while the suspect was not in custody, but now he has been arrested, a couple of photos are below.

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Acting Inspector Alex Rollin’s statement:

This morning at about 11am police officers responded to a burglary in progress in the Rockland Crescent and Rockland Estate area of Warwick. On arrival police officers managed to find three persons, who were arrested. A fourth suspect fled from the house and eventually barricaded himself in a house close by.

Officers responded to that residence. They put on a containment around that residence and eventually with the help of a crisis and hostage negotiator the person was brought out of the house and duly arrested. He is currently en route to Hamilton Police Station where he will be processed and placed before the courts.

Chief Inspector Jerome Laws statement:

We would like to thank the community for their patience with this matter. We had a police operation going on and we had to ensure that we proceeded with our operation by all safest means. Sorry for the inconvenience that we caused to the members of this community.

Our Community Action Team will be in the area tomorrow to provide reassurance to the public that the Bermuda Police Service is doing all that we can to detect crime and prevent crime in your neighbourhood and we will be speaking to the members of the community to establish some initiatives that could suit this community to ensure that it is safe and crime prevention is of the utmost importance.

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Comments (65)

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  1. markus says:

    Great work Bermudian Police!

    • Watcher55 says:

      That’s what they get paid for, the thanks should go to the area resident who’s vigilance and call allowed for an arrest

  2. hmm says:

    Well done Bermuda Police Service!!

  3. Audley Quallo says:

    Book em’ Denno.

  4. swing voter says:

    Can we ship this lot out to a Caricom Nation to serve time? 80K per unit (they are not human to me) is jus too much for me to bare. Jamaica would cut that figure by 90% …..now that’s what I call hard time. Perhaps another $50K would purchase citizenship but no passport to come back here.

    • markus says:

      Maybe your complete indifference to whether they live or die is why they are indifferent as to whether you care if they rob, cheat and steal.

      I am not justifying criminal acts, and I do not know the individuals, but it is frustrating to see the community turn its back on some individuals and then the community acts self-righteous when these people turn to crime.

      • Heniken says:

        go blow it out yer A** I agree only I say send to Black Dolphin in Russia 1 way no return

      • aceboy says:

        How have I turned my back on these poor misunderstood CRIMMINALS?

      • swing voter says:

        @ Markus, law abiding people have helplessly watched as our quality of life is eroded by criminals. Now you tell me why I should care about someone that will jook, chop, shoot, or bludgeon another person. Why should I care about the well-being of someone who breaks into my home while me and my family are asleep and if I wake up and confront him (this actually happened) he chose to fight me instead of running….you see what um sayin’????

        • markus says:

          EXACTLY!!!

          The feelings you feel about the criminal now mirrors the way that the criminal feels about you. However chances are neither of you were born that way, but became that way after EXPERIENCES. The point I am making is that the poverty-stricken person of yesterday is often the criminal of tomorrow. The kid who is overlooked by society eventually overlooks society.

          More people need to keep that in mind when they drive past the Salvation Army or think about whether they want to donate their time to Big Brothers and Sisters of Bermuda

          • Toodle-oo says:

            markus, stop trying to psychoanalyze the situation.
            For those of us who have been affected by home breakins and things going missing around our homes you just sound like you’re soft on crime and making excuses for them.

            These guys obviously operated as a team . Two probably get in the house , two with cell phones act as lookouts to keep the guys inside ‘safe’
            It has been done before many times by others. It’s called ‘organized crime’

            And furthermore , by the time a child reaches 5 years old it knows the difference between right and wrong. Poor or not . Lock up the bunch of them for life in a cheap prison .

        • Not Enough says:

          Clearly itvis no when they are at this point it is at 6-14 when you seevthem being brutalised by a parent or verbally abused while you are out shopping at a football match etc.

          C’mon guys it is so easy to judge the end result but no one starts out evil!!!! Does everything need to be explained to you judgers? I would hate to have some over you as a juror on any major upcoming cases!!!!

      • Family Man says:

        When it comes to the sort of criminals as alleged here, I for one don’t really care whether they live or die. Although I do have a slight preference for one over the other as long as they don’t leave a stain on the carpet ….

      • Joonya says:

        Whaaaa?? You been hanging out with Mayor Ford bie?

      • Dano says:

        People are responsible for their own actions! Why they do what they do is just an excuse ! Lock em up!

        • Not Enough says:

          Clearly you have limited understanding of people!!! We are NOT all the same nor do WE all respond to trauma and tradgedy the same! Stop the judging folks!! Have some compassion and understanding! Go find a young troubled person and mentor them. Then speak! Until then stop with the mindless attacks you make on people and get back to work! I hope you are not Government workers counting on longevity – focus on your situations and stop being so asinine!!!!!!!

      • Some of these good old criminals have been bad since birth and continue to be bad and the community had nothing to do with their badness. Try blaming their behavior on the family and the individuals themselves. The old saying “you can take a horse to the water but you can’t make him drink” still stands today. Criminals will defy training, and family values and do what they want to do.

        We need to stop making excuses for them. They lack respect first for themselves and then for others. Lock up up or leave them out and give them jobs (no pay) to clean up the island roads, parks and derelict building all while wearing “T” shirts that say “I’m a THIEF” for a period of time that the judge so deems sufficient.

        Bad seeds…That’s what they are!

    • Tom Jones says:

      We in Caricom are not desperate so keel all your hoodlums on your rock.

  5. Scoalsy says:

    YUP the police do good work (most of the time) BUT when they go to court they only get a little pat on the wrist:(

    • Triangle Drifter says:

      How discouraging must that be?

      • in the know says:

        There is a difference between the police and the justice system. The police put them in court- what the judge and jury do after that is nothing to do with the BPS!!!!

        • Watcher55 says:

          Yeah the cops can’t catch them so the courts can’t sentence them

          • Logic76 says:

            The cops can catch them yet the courts still issue weak penalties.

  6. March Hare says:

    Shouldn’t those officers in the picture be wearing their protective vests… they are dealing with a firearms incident!!

    • Prophet says:

      Do we know that this is a firearms incident for certain? There is no reported confirmation. However, one can extrapolate from reports that if neighbours are being escorted out of their properties that there is potential that it might well be, so you could be right–even if it is only the police with the firearms. And if this is the case then yes, all officers in the area should be wearing ballistic protection.

      • Watcher55 says:

        No but it’s a great excuse to dress up in the bad boys bad boys gear

    • Tyler says:

      Yes why wouldn’t those officers wear their protective vests??

    • Maybe the pics were taken after everything had been cleared away. At least I would hope so.. You never can tell what might be in store for them at the rate these bies are conducting themselves with guns!

  7. Kimmy says:

    Not only should the police be commended but the person that saw them break into the house, we need more neighborhood watch programs in our community, because I work hard for my things and to have someone take them away from me I will be devasted……Thank you Bermuda Police Service for responding rapidly….We are a community and need to watch out for our fellow neighbors..

    Thanks

  8. C.J. says:

    Stop it you guys, enough is enough.

  9. Allen says:

    Meanwhile, in the back of town and in Crawl and St. George’s and Somerset, young thugs realize that one (probably drunk or high)man is taking up the entire police force resources. How many other crimes are being committed or plotted as we speak. “More police have arrived…” only for one bledy man! Old school Bermy police would have walked in that house 3 deep and beat the livin snot out of him and took him to St. Brendan’s after a hospital visit. I’m still laughin at how armed officers can’t go in there. I hope they don’t shoot this guy.

    • Sailboat says:

      The regiment would have had this stitched up in about 3 minutes!

      • franky says:

        you really havent seen what the regiment has to offer!!!

        • $oldier says:

          um der now…lemme tell u we coulda cleared de house faster den de police!

          • Nuffin but da Truth says:

            $oldier,maybe,maybe not,but you cannot type for $#!t

            • Sailboat says:

              …and your nom de plume is what?! Tea kettle or pot? Pick one and let us know. ROTFL

        • Tommy Chong says:

          Considering that Bermuda Regiment wiped up at the last Inter-Service Games & has been commended by one of the highest ranking officers in the british military mitigates your preconceptions.

          There are officers in the regiment who eat, sleep & poop training for this type of scenario. Some have even received loads of overseas training from officers who have experience real war.

          Bet if Lt Col. Gonsalves was sent in he would belly crawl up to one of the windows, chuck in some CS gas & blast this fool with a baton round as he runs out screaming, “MY EYES ARE BURNING! MY SKIN IS BURNING!”

          • Logic76 says:

            For once I agree completely barring the last sentence. I’m sure Lt. Col. Foster-Brown could have though!

    • Bermyluv says:

      He needs to get shot…right in his bum.

  10. tricks are for kids.... says:

    Clearly “THEY” are wasting the police and everyone’s time….really???? where are they going to go at this point….dig a tunnel??? just surrender already……

  11. Guy Carri says:

    Lotta guys in there stealing. 4!!! Dang. Not a good thing.

  12. Fruity says:

    Sooo are the officers trained to stay back as opposed to try and enter tactfully? We are not trained in BDA to take out messes like this? Confused and assuming there will be updates til after 7 o’clock.
    Not downing their jobs & understand the safety; juuuuussst curious. :)

  13. Photographer says:

    Teargas! Done.

  14. Family Man says:

    Good thing the police aren’t members of the BIU …. its coming up to quitting time.

    • look at it this way says:

      think what would have happened if the criminal turns out to be a member of the BIU. National strike anyone?

    • YADON says:

      Police get paid overtime, same as BIU so no one would go home early, the latter the better. They do a good job but it is a job none of them would do for free.

  15. C says:

    Oh no. hope this ends soon. Hope no one gets hurt and hope no one was inside this home.

  16. Karma says:

    Dude’s been in there for 5 hours now? I hate to think what kind of mess the homeowners are facing….

  17. Nuffin but da Truth says:

    as usual everyone knows eff all about about eff all but still they want to tell the Police how to do their jobs..
    It’s typical and pathetic.
    so I ‘ll add my $100 worth…
    SHOOT THE B@$T@RD$

  18. Allen says:

    It’s over with no deaths or injury. Good job! Bernews is awesome!

  19. S.M.H. says:

    This island is getting crazier by the second. We are definitely not safe anymore. We can’t even let fresh air in anymore cause we afraid someone is gonna walk right in. We can not even leave our doors or windows unlocked. People who enter with all intent to hurt or steal need their hands n feet chopped off. What happened to the old bermuda. **Imjustsaying**

  20. John Doe says:

    lifers ill let them pick a country out of a hat what ever country they choose that’s were they will be serving there time. Choices are Peru Brazil or Mexico

  21. John Mayne says:

    John Doa, add teh Dominican Republic where 30 in one cell, hole to piss in. Also no food except rice and beans are provided, twice a day. I was hoping the Sage report would provide a solution in cost cutting the prison facility. In Jamaica, $12,000 a yr to house a prisoner. Why can’t we send the hard criminals and pay the Jamaican Govt $20,000 a yr for each that we have. Put them all in a con air flight and get rid of 60% of the work force at Westgate. That should reduce our yearly cost per prisoner by 50% to house them for a year.. Just think what that would do to those future criminals.

  22. Kevin Hart says:

    S*** just got real out here!

  23. Ex.cop says:

    Lock him up!

  24. godson says:

    “It takes a village to raise a child”…WE need to do better

  25. James says:

    Why would any country want Bermudian criminals when Bermuda does not even want law abiding people to come here and work?

  26. Bermuda First says:

    POLICE AND THIEVES IN THE STREETS!!!

  27. Dianne says:

    I guess people don’t watch the US news… Standoffs usual go on for hours. Just because they were not sure he had a gun, doesn’t mean they should act like he doesn’t have one. How do you expect them to get the gas in the house? Are we assuming that it was a single story house? How many of you have the floor plans to this house? Should the police keep our floor plans on file just incase it should happen to us?
    Most houses have crawl spaces in the roof. How do we know he wasn’t in the roof waiting for someone to enter?
    People who are prepared to standoff with police are not usually rational thinking people.
    If the Popo were told this fool was strapped then they need to act like he is strapped.
    Sure throw the gas in the house and the fool comes out spraying bullets in a blaze of glory.
    I don’t care if it took 10 days. EVERYONE came out of this alive and uninjured and the home owner has his home back in tact.
    Everybody knows what to do but nobody wants to put on that uniform and go do it! I hope all you criticizers are perfect at your jobs and are 100% accurate and effective all the time!!

    I have never need the BPS but I certainly appreciate what they do!

  28. X man says:

    Fortunatly the Police got these criminals
    and unfortunatly theres so many out there! – but they [ the Police ] is picking them down one by one . -
    which could be to late and too slow for Bermuda.

  29. LOL says:

    Thank you Mr./Ms. Police officers but i bet you guys were excited to wear those outfits…