Video: BPS On Crime Trends, Armed Robberies
[Updated with video] The last four weeks have seen 18 chain snatches followed by the two armed robberies over this weekend, and the police are “doing everything within our powers to address the recent emerging crime trends,” the police said today [Sept 14].
At around 4.20pm on Friday afternoon [Sept 11] the Money Shop in Warwick was robbed by two men wielding a gun, and then at 11.50pm on Saturday evening [Sept 12] Maxi Mart in Sandys was also robbed by an armed man. In both cases, the suspects demanded money, then escaped.
Speaking at a press conference today, Superintendent Sean Field-Lament said, “I am here on behalf of the BPS to provide reassure the public that the Police are doing everything within our powers to address the recent emerging crime trends.
“Here are the facts as we know them at this point as it relates to the recent armed robberies. Police responded to two separate reports of armed robberies that took place over the weekend.
“The first took place on Friday at the Money Gram Store on Middle Road in Warwick at 4:20pm where two men entered the store and made demands of money, those males then left with an undisclosed amount of cash.
“The second incident took place on Saturday night at 11:50pm at Maxi Mart on Middle Road in Sandys. It appears that a male walked into the store and made demands of money he also was given an undisclosed amount of cash and that male then made good his escape on a Motorcycle that was ridden by an unknown male.
“In both cases the assailants wore dark clothing, had their faces covered and brandished what appeared to be a firearm. Police at this juncture are following specific lines of inquiry and at this time it is not known if both of these events are related.
“The last 4 weeks have seen 18 chain snatches followed by two armed robberies over this weekend. In 2014 we saw 13 robberies which averaged out to about once a month. As such the recent trend is cause for concern.
“Any crime that involves a degree of violence or threat of violence presents a danger to all involved. The BPS treats these as very serious offences which carry lengthy prison sentences upon conviction.
“I can reassure the public that the appropriate level of resources and investigative scrutiny is being applied to these active investigations. All avenues of enquiry are being explored- forensics and especially CCTV have been value tools so far, but we repeat our appeal for witnesses to come forward.
“As responsible members of the community we all have an obligation to help catch these perpetrators. When someone rips chains off people and walks around with guns everyone is at risk.
“We must put a stop to this type of anti-social behavior- it is not acceptable. So if you saw something…say something – the BPS will follow up any leads provided- help us make Bermuda safer.
“I would offer the public some simple crime prevention advice – limit your risk by refraining from presenting yourself as a target of opportunity by not wearing valuables especially gold chains openly, businesses can limit the impact of crimes by keeping low amounts of cash on the premises – this also makes for a less attractive target, install, maintain and update CCTV as this is a deterrent and a valuable tool for police.
“Have height scales placed at entrances to premises in conjunction with CCTV to assist police identify suspects. Please contact our CAT officers for further crime prevention advice if required- we all need to work together to tackle crime victimization.
“In closing I wish to repeat our assurances to the public we are doing all we can to solve these crimes and that with your assistance we will bring these perpetrators to justice.”
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If Wahoo’s in St. George can hire Bermudian men and women as waiters and give them the tips they earn surely the rest of the restaurants on this island can be made to do the same. Bermudians will not take the restaurant jobs because the government allows the owners to steal the workers’ tips. And you wonder why poeple are willing to steal.
c’mon man!
wtf does this have to do with the caption story?
High unemployment rate = High anti-social behavior.
Don’t take it personal, its a world wide problem.
The 2000 fairytale jobs have now doubled.
Im dying
Instead of camping out in east Broadway every day trying to give the public tickets tell them officers to stop all this bs crime.
The Police have been doing an EXCELLENT job lately keeping our roads safer. Sorry you got a ticket!
Good job police, keep these roads safe and catch some criminals as well!)
The criminals like a lot of us knows that the police is short on manpower and they are taking advantage of the situation.
What ever happened to punctuation? I really would like to understand what you’re saying..
Maybe instead of having a police car sit by the flag pole on front street watching bumper to bumper traffic in the morning and evening they can be out doing patrols catching criminals. What are they even looking for when there sit there?
They’re looking for people that talk on the phone while driving.
ET phone home.
LMFAO
Now there’s a serious crime! Cops love to harass the easy targets… makes their job easier. Solving armed robberies and murders actually takes effort.
It’s called having a Police Presence. If people SEE the police, they are less likely to speed, overtake, text and drive and do other stupid things that lead to accidents, damage, injury and on occasion death.
What you prefer they do wait at the f’n police station until they are called?
Well obviously their presence was not seen while the store was closing and the float was being gathered.
Hint, hint.
Police need to man up. Too scared of the criminals so they pester the public. I’m talking to YOU who hides out in bus stops tryna catch people just heading to work!!
Hiding to catch the hard working class is a revenue generator…This is something that they are instructed to do…so unless we have some Matlock or Colombos on our force who can solve even a cold case then we shall remain the same.
Don’t forget Agatha Christie and Nancy Drew.
do the Police really think having 1 female cop riding about on a scooter in St.George’s deters anyone from acting up?
Ok for one, please stop using the words “anti social behaviour”…I’m sure these guys are very social…its known as “criminal behaviour”…and for two, y’all need to stop b****ing about cops not being on site as these criminally minded individuals do their deeds…just like me asking YOU who done it…unless you were there then you can’t help the situation either…but the real question goes to those that DO know who is committing these petty crimes but are either too afraid or want to be accessories to the crime by staying quiet…although I believe that a $10,000 reward for information leading to a conviction might just jogg a few memories in this hard economic climate that we are experiencing…
Why are these little wannabe punks even allowed into a store when dressed like that. It has to be a clue the second they are even near the entrance and there are signs on the door to REMOVE such covering, HIT the PANIC BUTTON IMMEDIATELY. Sound any alarm make noise and FIGHT BACK. Just say BOO and they will piss their panties. Don’t for one second tell me no one saw anything. See them, chase them down and run over the little p*** ant punks.
Thats called stereotyping.
Let that happen to me and I will never ever purchase from that store ever again.
And for you to say what you say you must not know. Guys will shoot your for some stupid s***. You think people are doing this for fun? people have bills to pay children to feed and need to shelter their familes. You ever been hungry enough to commit a crime? this government promised jobs that aint never gonna come as well as losing more jobs. What does that tell you? This situation is above your mental capacity.
We dont need to chastise these men we should be getting to the root of the problem which is poverty and economic inequality based on race. Fix those issues and this wont happen. How do we have a government with some of the wealthiest Bermudians in it and s*** like this still happens? and jobs arent beinf created? and people are still paying out the a** to feed themselves and their families?
Either they aren’t as smart as theu claim to be or they simple dont care.
Im not saying the PLP would do better so lets not go there with all the paid blogger crap.
We
If this government will not create the atmosphere in Bermuda for 2000 jobs , then people will continue to do the jobs outside of the law .
Ahh, that number has doubled since then and these numbers are not Fuzzied.
In Portugal we punish people who do bad things…reprehensible things….disgusting things….in some of the outlying islands we will have a public prison area so we can display them like the animals they are…with a sign telling you what they did (and were convicted of)….our customs and law enforcement don’t do an adequate job filtering out criminals who come here to live and work ….I am not suprised your having issues with violence…it is piss poor how you sentance the guilty…it is piss poor how you punish the innocent!…these two things do not sit well side by side!
Just get your ship together please….bring back capital punishment!….if you know yah gondie if you take life … Your not goinduit!
The OBA has created the environment for many more jobs .
Please people, STOP using politics as way for these individuals to have as an excuse. The more we repeat on here (for political reasons); that it’s the current governments fault because the 2000 jobs have not magically appeared, these people will see it as a reason for their actions. While I understand people have to eat; over half these criminals are stealing to sustain their habit. Yes, be real when you read the majority of these cases and the individuals record when they appear in court. No, not all; but are we as a country,really at the point of people just robbing people to survive?