Woman attacked while running in Barkers

| 18/08/2017 | 38 Comments

(CNS): A woman who was out running at around 6:30 along one of the mangrove tracks in the dikes in Barkers National Park, on Friday morning, was attacked by a man from behind wearing a T-shirt over his face, police have said. The woman sustained minor injuries and the attacker fled into the dikes. Police have launched an investigation and are warning the public, especially women, to take extra precautions to ensure their personal safety when they are out exercising. The man was described as being about 5ft 6in tall, with a brown complexion and possibly in his 20s. 

Police urged people to pick areas that are well lit and not too overgrown to walk or run, as well as use routes that are popular with other walkers and runners. They advised people not to exercise alone in the early morning and late evenings when it’s still dark, to take a cell phone and to be vigilant when walking and running, ensuring that you can hear and see what is happening around you. “Let someone know where you’re going and an estimate time of how long you will be gone and if you feel like you are being followed, change your path and stay in lit areas, call 9-1-1 if it persists,” an RCIPS spokesperson stated.

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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Comments (38)

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  1. Acon says:

    A great running route for anyone in wb/smb is the 5k loop around the golf course/crystal harbour. Lots of other runners/walkers – early in morn there are greenskeepers all around as well as crystal harbour security guards who are also present at sundown.

  2. MM says:

    The higher the crime rate continues to climb the more legitimate reasons for our RCIPS to bring in their police friends/mates from beyond… more crime… more officers… more reasons to hire a buddy or two.

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  3. DUH says:

    People should have the confidence to go out to just about anywhere and not have to worry about being attacked, but such is the world we live in.

    Now I wish all you ladies would stop going down in the damn boondocks at the crack of dawn to do your stupid runs with your stupid headphones on. Just stay in plain view and on the main roads like any normal, sane woman who values her life would.

    God forbid if you get hurt or have a heart attack or something, you could be down in the dykes FOREVER dying before someone found you!

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    • Anonymous says:

      Sounds like you’re the one about to have a heart attack.

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    • Anonymous says:

      You can’t die forever. Just sayin.

    • Jotnar says:

      Running on the main roads in Cayman is also a high risk activity. No shortage of drivers who cannot seem to keep their car between the white lines, especially exiting and entering roundabouts, and who don’t look for crossing pedestrians before turning. And that’s when they are sober.

      PS Is it the running that you find stupid,or the the fact that its women running? Just wondering.

  4. Anonymous says:

    It’s so really very sad to read day after day of crime of all aspects from burglaries, armed robberies, assaults and rapes etc., unfortunately, it’s the same worldwide. What is happening in the world today that make people act in this manner. We have blamed it on bad parenting, poor teaching, mental issues, greed, you name it, we’ve all tried to make reason for it all. It’s like war, we’ve blamed that on everything under the sun! We all say “it was never like this in our day.” People’s values have certainly changed that’s for sure. I think youngsters are having things far too easy these days. They don’t have to work or save their cents anymore. Mammy and Daddy provide every little thing that their children desire. Everyone wants to keep up with the Jones’ as we say in England. One parent trying to out do the other and it’s a real shame. Children have lost all their values. No one seems to have to work hard and save to buy anything anymore and if they don’t have the money they steal to have things. It’s now not safe to even go for a nice day or evening walk without fear of being robbed or raped. I totally agree with one posting on this page that RCIPS need to put in decoys periodically in the hope of catching these criminals. I can assure you RCIPS have been doing that for many years because I was a decoy nearly 30 years ago with RCIPS so it’s nothing new. Another stated that it’s pointless trying to educate the career criminal of the rights and wrongs they aren’t going to change. Let’s just make them do the time behind bars which will take the wind out of their sail for a few years. We need to put Vocational Training programmes in place to educate the young and upcoming Caymanians to learn the right way to lead their lives and point them in the right direction to be law abiding citizens. To take every opportunity in their young lives to hold down jobs whatever path they may choose and to be proud of their achievements and get this Caribbean “jewel” back in the crown where it belongs once again.

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  5. Anonymous says:

    As usual only when incidents happen police other organisation comes out advisories and warnings. Why not take pro-active approach to advise and warn before it happens. Are we still believing CAYMAN is the jewel of the Carribean and crime free? Get real Cayman has lost that prestige and no Government whether past present future will be able to fix it neither no Commissioner of Police until we stopped living in denial , take care of our youths and employ a local Commissioner of Police even though one was already employed and was a complete failure . Until we get crime under control CAYMAN will wake up to many doom and gloom. Sorry to be so harsh but we have to face reality, just a waste of time as all these comments fall on deaf ears.

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    • Anonymous says:

      You sound like management. A defeatest when it comes to solving real problems, but you are a winner when it comes to that stupid yearly HR team building exercise.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Umm, who did we lose the crown to.

  6. Anonymous says:

    I am sick of hearing the latest “tips” on how to avoid crime. Take your godd&*(^ “routine activity theory” and shove it. I should be able to walk anywhere without fear with a baby stroller. I shouldn’t need a guardian watching over me all the time. You are letting criminals own the scene. Enough sympathy for thugs with terrible fathers or mothers. Focus on the upcoming kids, stop wasting your time with those who have been given chance after chance after chance after chance of changing their ways.

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  7. Anonymous says:

    Police: ever heard of decoys to catch these low life pieces of shit?

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    • Anonymous says:

      Shushhh..stop that. You are putting ideas forward that involve forward thinking & implementation of clever police resources & doctrine, to apprehend offenders…

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    • Anonymous says:

      You mean like a plastic duck?

  8. Anonymous says:

    Cayman has a Predator who is active in West Bay.
    The Sex Prowler was completely calculated in his actions.
    He was full of intent to cause serious harm.
    He is very familiar with Barkers and probably visits the park often. Has access to a vehicle.
    There were a number of people in Barkers at the time, jogging and in vehicles.
    Were you in Barkers on Friday morning at 6:30am?

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  9. Anonymous says:

    bad place for females to be.alone at anytime , really secluded out there it’s nice you don’t have to worry about traffic but you never know when some creepy person will show up .

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  10. Anonymous says:

    People. its time to start bending the rules. Carry a taser, pepper spray or stun gun. Who cares what the consequences are from the police as long as you are safe. If these coward criminals thought everyone may be carrying a instrument of self defense they would all stay home an hide like the weak, pathetic scum that they are! Wake Up!

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    • Diogenes says:

      Advocating for protecting yourself from criminals by being a criminal, also common sense would tell you that if the criminals are expecting resistance they would just equip themselves appropriately

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      • Anonymous says:

        Carrying a method of self protection doesn’t make you a criminal…only in the eyes of an unjust law. If you don’t feel the need to protect yourself than why don’t you tale the locks off your doors, stay home and play the victim? Hoping that you won’t one day be attacked by some criminal, won’t stop it from happening. When the day comes that you are attacked I have a feeling you will gain some common-sense and protect yourself. Until then, I hope the sand isn’t too hot on your neck whilst you have your head buried. Wake Up!

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        • Diogenes says:

          I’d like you to find the portion of my comment when I said that we shouldn’t be able carry a method of self-defense. I never said that we shouldn’t be able to carry nonlethal protection, but unless you are a sitting MLA or the AG there isn’t really anything you can do about the current laws, The MLAs have never addressed the oversight of the inability for persons to protect themselves and quite frankly they probably won’t unless someone gets killed etc. . Furthermore under the current laws carrying a method of self protection does make you a criminal because most (actually all) of the items you suggested are prohibited, just because you want them to be legal and to use them to defend yourself and others doesn’t mean that they are, you’re just as likely to end up in a cell in northward next to your attacker if you are found using prohibited items and tools to injure or incapacitate another person. I am using far more common sense in this instance than you seem to be capable of procuring. If you want the laws changed advocate to your local representative, write a letter to the Attorney Generals office, or start a petition. Don’t sit behind your computer and act like illegal things aren’t illegal just because they disagree with your POV. Maybe try taking your head out from under the rock you seem to call home and read into our system of legislation, penal codes and other relevant areas and create the necessary changes on the islands.

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          • Anonymous says:

            Great another SJW with more one sided answers than common sense.

            • Diogenes says:

              “SJW” making me wonder if you even know what SJW stands for, I made perfectly valid points that are supported by public documents and the law. You can disagree feel free but don’t act like I am some crazy Keyboard warrior that makes invalid points just to justify their own opinions, My entire arguement debunks the previous comments and the stupidty that they used as justification for illegal acts

  11. Anonymous says:

    Jamaica at the moment is safe as they still respect people. They might try and haggle but that is it. Shame Cayman your Government and your Entitlement issues is what is making the way Cayman is now. 30 years ago we could leave our keys in a car during an evening. Shame on all of you

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  12. BELONGER says:

    That SOB needs me to give him two sharp swipes on his ass with Ossie cow cod. That will make him walk on water all the way to Cuba or Mexico.

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    • Anonymous says:

      I’d actually assume Caymanian, likely inspecting a fish pot or catching sprats, and probably lives within bike range – ie. a mile or two of attack site. How many of his description with Barkers morning rituals that would overlap with victim’s running schedule? Can’t be more than a handful of suspects at 6:30am.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Is that you T-Rump?

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  13. Sheila says:

    I cannot understand why someone would be running in the dykes in cayman by themselves? Long gone are the times you could work and play safe in Cayman. There are too many preditors here now seeking an easy fix. Whether it’s from financial gains or sexual from the old and the young – Cayman has a bunch of them amongst us now some went to prison and some are out on parole. so for your own safety, work and play in groups. Cayman is no longer a safe place to live.

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  14. Unison says:

    Put cctv camaras at all the entrances of Barkers.

    Btw … who would run in such lonely areas in the first place? You should have someone with you.

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    • Anonymous says:

      They’ve had a fake CCTV camera there for years. Takinng fake videos of the parade of hillbilles that use Big Macs park as the ‘dump west’. They just don’t care. Now let’s dance….put your hands in the air, put your hands in the air, put your hands in the air, put your hands in the air,put your hands in the air, put your hands in the air…..

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  15. Anonymous says:

    I love Barkers (hope dart can show some restraint) but I always advise folks to go home by 5

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  16. Anonymous says:

    I am not blaming these ladies for these incidents but you all really need to be more cautious. Get a buddy or two to run with you. So sad but gone are the days when it was safe morning noon or night to act carefree. In the good old days we could but unfortunately as it is the world over we cannot live like that any more. Please be mindful of that going forward. The police cannot be everywhere so don’t expect them to.

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  17. Anonymous says:

    Police – Stop blaming the Victims!

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  18. Anonymous says:

    Police are always reactionary in the Cayman Islands – taking inadequate non-descript victim statements and issuing blanket warnings to law-abiding people to modify their own peaceful behavior and habits. No warnings are telegraphed to the creeps and perverts out there that a very short list of people were known to be in Barker’s at 6:30, that there are any efforts underway to identify them and that they face XX years of prison time when caught. Maybe post a bounty?!? Install working CCTV?! Nope, too much work. The judgmental crime fighting attitude is forever looking 180 degrees in the wrong direction at law-abiding folk, and by repeatedly doing so, on which side of the line are our Police standing? This is not an imaginary PR problem.

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  19. Anonymous says:

    “Police urged people to pick areas that are well lit and not too overgrown to walk or run.”

    At this rate it won’t be long before they tell us not to leave the house for our own safety!

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