Thieves make off with tourist’s backpack

| 11/08/2017 | 66 Comments
Cayman News Service

Seven Mile Beach

(CNS): Two men ran off with a red backpack that was left on the sand near Tiki Beach yesterday by a tourist while he was taking a swim. The police were called to Seven Mile Beach at around 1:30 on Thursday afternoon and learned that the thieves were spotted running toward the bushes with the bag. No descriptions were given but the police issued a warning to locals and visitors at the beach not to leave valuables unsecured and unattended.

“We can all understand how it is tempting to leave our things on the sand while we take a swim, especially if the beach is relatively empty,” said Inspector Lloyd Marriott, Area Commander for West Bay. “But theft is almost always a crime of opportunity, and leaving valuables unattended creates that opportunity.  It is far better to leave wallets and identification locked away out of sight in a vehicle than on the sand.”

Anyone with information is asked to call George Town Police Station at 949-4222. Anonymous tips can be provided to the RCIPS Confidential Tip Line at 949-7777, the Miami-based call centre of Crime Stoppers at 800-8477(TIPS), or online here.

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Category: Crime, Police

Comments (66)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Honestly, what is Cayman coming to? Before people didn’t have to worry about their cars being stolen, house broken into. Nowadays most people be scared to go to bed and wake up the next morning and their car gone. I honestly don’t even want to call myself a Caymanian anymore. Cayman has gone to the dogs. People all over the world talking about Cayman problems, before we were labeled as a safe place now we are nowhere near safe.

    • Anonymous says:

      Cayman doesn’t even feature on most people’s radar…they all have their own lives to lead, their own issues to deal with. What others think of us doesn’t matter as much as what we think of ourselves, and what we do collectively to put it right.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Population rises, crime increases. What else is there to say.

  2. Anonymous says:

    RCIP = NO FOOT PATROLS!

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  3. Anonymous says:

    At Calico Jacks yesterday there were no less than four National Security Guards standing motionless in the parking lot, less than 50 feet downwind from four guys smoking a quarter ounce of ganja behind the Volleyball shed. The thick, cigar-grade, clouds of smoke didn’t even register on their instrumentation. There is heavy drug use and dealing all over Public Beach on weekends, brazen lawlessness in full view of tourists, families and young children, but nary an officer for miles. Why is this?

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  4. bishop james says:

    dear thieves…you don’t have to steal, there are fruit trees, wild chickens and iguanas for you to feed on, if you need a shower use the facilities at the public beach, if you need clothes, the human society charity show and red cross have decent affordable clothing, Fosters soup is 2 dollars!!! No need to steal, treat people with respect, be a good Christian your fellow brothers and sister at your church wont let you go hungry, if we stood together as a community we would be much better off, love, honesty, respect for each other! no need to steal, change starts from within.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Nice try Bishop James; God Bless you.

    • Anonymous says:

      Thieves don’t read CNS

    • Anonymous says:

      Bishop James, I know that “the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof” but please stay away from my fruit trees as my dog is not aware of that.

    • Anonymous says:

      I needed financial help for an mri. My church could give me loan I would never be able to pay back.
      I left the church and realized god is fake.
      My non christian boss is helping me. Christianity ? BS !!

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    • Anonymous says:

      Haha the thieves can’t afford to go to church cos the pastors steal 10 % of their pocket change straight off the bat!

      • Anonymous says:

        I have a friend from Gambia in Africa, he was a thief, he turned his life around and became a celebrity pastor and he now lives in a huge mansion and drives an American car, all thanks to the bible. he offered blessings and savior to those who donated, the bigger the donation the bigger the blessings, he doesn’t force them to donate he just lets them know that if they don’t donate they will go to hell, he has merchandise also that he sells like blessed Vaseline and blessed holy perfume. He also donates pens with Jesus face on it to people who donate 12% of their monthly income. now that’s faith!!

  5. Anonymous says:

    Start clearing up the local wasters that hang around the beach cabanas or outside of bars, under trees or any other rat hole they gather to drink and get obnoxious.
    This island has far too many unemployable parasites hanging around during all hours drinking or doing drugs, these are your first port of call and should be moved away from areas where decent hard working folk wish to enjoy their vacations or time off.

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  6. Anonymous says:

    Read “Ask Auntie” about the driving permit for visitors! The government or car rental agencies or both have been stealing from tourists for years! Even after CNS does their investigative report, it is still unchanged on the government website and car rental agencies are still demanding the money from tourists. Like a stick up at a car rental agency.

    Theft happens at all levels in Cayman towards tourists. Someone getting robbed at the beach is the exact same as someone getting robbed as they rent a car with unnecessary fees. Someone is stealing something from a tourist that does not belong to them, be it money or a backpack, it is still theft.

    Nobody in Cayman cares! The government is corrupt. The police are corrupt. Many of the people are corrupt. It is the most morally bankrupt place going because they have ridden on the coat tails of a good Christian nation, without crime, for decades.

    Time to be exposed.

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  7. Anonymous says:

    Undercover cops on beach…don’t look so threatening to tourists and should put an end to this crap.

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    • Anonymous says:

      There is ZERO police presence on 7MB. Why?

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    • Michel Lemay says:

      Too easy. Lots of things could be done. Starting to think that no one thinking out of the box. If this keeps up it will get much worse. Same thing happened to many other
      Islands in the past and you can quote me that it’s going to get worst at this rate. And permits keep going up !!

  8. It really does not matter where you go on vacation thieves are everywhere waiting on tourists to not be paying attention to their belongings. Also pick pockets are out there also looking for their next target. So in ending anywhere you travel for your vacation pay attention and keep your belongings in a safe place or attended by a family member or friend. You want your vacation to be remembered for the right reasons. Enjoy and be safe and have the best vacation ever.

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  9. Sharkey says:

    I wonder what the Minister of Tourism is thinking now that the criminals have started to rob the Tourist in broad daylight on the beach of Cayman Islands .

    I remember up until 1995 when you could leave your stuff on the beach unattended for days and come back later and find it , today you can’t do it for minute .
    Mr. Minister this kind of disrespectful criminal behaviour falls on your shoulders . Let’s see some actions before the Cayman islands really becomes just like most other Caribbean Islands .

    And remember that after you loose your reputation it’s harder to get to get it back .

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  10. Anonymous says:

    Waterproof backpack that doubles as float….I might be on to something.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Exploding backpacks might not be allowed, but cowitch in backpacks would enable police to identify a few thieves.

  11. Sharkey says:

    Stealing from the tourist should be big crime and should not be tolerated because it’s destroying the Islands Tourism . What the Police should do is set up a few traps of having some tourist leave some valuables on the beach or somewhere then the Cops get in position so when the thief run he runs right into the Cops .
    You can catch them just like putting cheese in a rat trap , 15 minutes you could have a dozen .

    But all criminals need to be given a long vacation up northward . And pack them in like sardines . And give them sardines 24/7 no bullabeef .

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  12. Anonymous says:

    There is all kind of “kind’s” in this CaymanKind nowadays.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Yeah we tried Caymankind but guess what it didn’t work,because these foreign devils took our kindness for weakness, now it’s time for for Caymanunkind, remember Cayman we celebrate pirates week everyday not every year anymore, and this pirate is rated Aarrrrrrrr…….

  13. Anonymous says:

    Dog eating ya suppah.

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  14. Anonymous says:

    “But theft is almost always a crime of opportunity, and leaving valuables unattended creates that opportunity. It is far better to leave wallets and identification locked away out of sight in a vehicle than on the sand.” AMMMMMMMM…… Excuse me, but wasn’t the article right before this one about a stolen car!!!! How about the police start catching the criminals instead of blaming the victims. Your things are not safe anywhere now a days because they are stealing cars, breaking into houses and taking anything they can get their hands on! Come on man!!!!

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    • Anonymous says:

      The answer to the thieves is to eradicate them by whatever means. Set traps for them and eliminate them. Let the police solve that problem.

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    • Anonymous says:

      They caught lots recently, seems there are still more. Northward expansion programme needed

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  15. Anonymous says:

    Just think, that person will tell his friends and that friend will tell other friends. Lets suppose that 200 people will hear by ear this theft when the tourist goes home. That is 200 people lost. If each tourist spends about a thousand while here, that is 200,000 dollars lost. This tale will be recalled and retold year after year for say they next 30 years. That is 6 million dollars lost…from ONE incident, and this is an underestimate.

    Do you see why if Cayam cannot get back to the days where we could leave our front porches unlocked, that this place will be the same as all the other hell holes in the carribean. SMH.

    If it takes putting cameras everywhere to get there, then do it without question, NOW. Then take them down when things are back to normal. You are not going to arrest your way out of this trending tradegy of crime.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Agreed, but we need cameras that actually work. Not, “buddy here’s a deal for us”, cameras.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Need to punish the criminals harder, like corporal punishment like they do in Singapore, that would make a difference.And if U K don’t like it then they will have to take all the criminals over there when they get caught.

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  16. Anonymous says:

    I was trying to enjoy with my family the ocean on south sound where you can rent kayaks last Saturday. We were thinking of investing in one of the condos that are coming up. Beautiful place, but my god there was a group of 10 Jamaicans stuffed in a single car, and they were just leering and laughing at everybody. They looked like they were putting marks on people to victimize. I won’t be investing and putting my family at harm, even if the condos are gated, it is just too much. Is there any place left on the island where we will not be bothered or harassed -seems to be something taught and ingrained in the culture?

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    • Anonymous says:

      You better just stay home. You’ll be safe there.

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    • Anonymous says:

      If they were leering and laughing and not actually speaking, how do you know that they were Jamaicans? Did you call the police? Did you ask the operator of the canoes to ask them to desist?

      One car parked on one occasion, with residents from who knows where, & you won’t move to South Sound? Pray tell me where the utopia is that you currently reside that you can foresee the visitors you may encounter that won’t behave in an ignorant manner.

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    • Anonymous says:

      I can understand your concern, I take my family to Cayman twice year for the last decade or so. However, it’s still a safe place overall. The crime you’re reading about has clearly overshadowed all the great people and true Cayman kind. Just cross your fingers like we do that the tide will eventually change on the dirty few whose actions are disrupting the bigger picture. I hope. My greatest fear: a negative international perception of the island will take hold and the good people will suffer the most. After all, tourism does keep their lights on. People always talk about their education system lacking in so many aspects, but wouldn’t it be great if the island invested in a little time on educating the locals and what it means to have guests to their Island?
      At this point, these people need to take matters into their own hands and resolve issues from within. That means creating a sense of urgency to ensure overnight guests feel safe in so many ways.
      Peace!

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    • Anonymous says:

      4:47 pm, yes there are a place and its “Cayman Brac”

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    • Anonymous says:

      Build your own bubble and live in it!

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  17. Anonymous says:

    I remember when I first started coming to Cayman I was amazed and loved how women left their purses on the bar to go for a dance. The bags were all there when the dance was done.

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    • Anonymous says:

      But the old sailors they danced with stole their hearts.

    • Anonymous says:

      Thanks Mac!

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    • Sharkey says:

      4:33pm, that is because back in those days , the men were interested in the woman and not their purses , today it’s the other way around . But I would say that it’s a shame and disgrace , and the Islands needs to be turned back to those days .
      What kind of man would go after her purse and not the woman ? A scumbag man better lnown as criminal and not a man .

  18. Anonymous says:

    Police need to do beach patrol as a former police it was done. Patrolled from seven mile beach to Beach club. Those days crime was not as bad. Do not let the ‘ CAYMANS ‘ get on the State Advisory List. It’s really looking bad. Remember Cuba is opening up.

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  19. frangipani says:

    this is the end of Cayman now. My goodness! what a tragedy!!

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  20. Anonymous says:

    Police – STOP BLAMING THE VICTIMS!

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  21. get real! says:

    There is some CaymanKind for yah ! Can you imagine this place in a few years. You nah gah be able to leave your house without being robbed or intimidated.

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  22. Anonymous says:

    Dumb!

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  23. Anonymous says:

    Recently there have been some strange people hanging around the south end of SMB, even early mornings. And for sure some are dealing ganja. The new laws on cannabis oil do not mean you are allowed to smoke weed on the beach, and that is happening a lot now. This week whilst evening walking have seen people in the sea off Beachsuites smoking and outside Royal Palms- please stop, whilst I agree with your (albeit illegal)right to smoke it, do it in your own home and not where young impressionable kids and teenagers are around.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Again, the police not enforcing laws. Weed becomes mainstream. Kids become potheads. Potheads cannot get work. Steal tourists backpack. Police blame tourist. Go figure.

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      • Anonymous says:

        If police enforced every law there wouldn’t be a prison large enough to fit on this small island to occupy the tenants. Alcohol and cocaine are destroying the island. Weed isn’t the problem.

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        • Anonymous says:

          If police enforced every law people would start obeying them and you would hardly need Northward.

          Immigration has a role to play in this too, but that is a whole other issue.

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      • Anonymous says:

        dont worry the police enforce every single obscure law they can find and enforce it harshly… when it suits them!

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