Cops investigating fifth robbery this week
(CNS): Police are investigating a robbery by two masked men armed with a gun at a grocery store on Hirst Road in Bodden Town at around 8:40 Thursday evening. One of the robbers entered the store waiving what appeared to be a firearm and demanded cash while his accomplice waited outside. Both men fled towards the rear of the store with an undisclosed quantity of cash and cigarettes. This was the fifth robbery over the last week and the ninth over the last month.
No shots were fired and no one was injured during the incident. Both men are described as wearing masks and long-sleeved hooded jackets.
So far police management has made no statements about this spike of armed robberies and whether or not they believe any of them are connected, though each of the robberies this week has been very different.
Last Friday evening four men, three with guns, held-up Mostyn’s gas station on Bodden Town Road around 8:30pm. Then on Tuesday at around 7pm, a lone gunman robbed the Subway Sandwich Shop at the Reef Resort in East End. On Wednesday evening a woman was mugged on a George Town street by a man with a gun jumping from a car. Then early Thursday morning a woman was robbed by three men with a weapon outside her apartment in West Bay.
On each occasion, the victims were not physically hurt but the robbers threatened them and made off with cash, booze, cigarettes, purses, bags, phones and other possessions.
Police are asking anyone with any information on the latest armed heist to contact George Town CID at 949-4222.
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Little Cayman! the new name in Luxury!
how is it that an island of 100 sq miles with a “modern” police force can’t find these weapons or criminals, I mean don’t the police know where thier cousins and nephews are?
What I do not understand is why there is no police presence in Cayman. In every country I have lived in and there has been many, there is always a police presence. It’s not like there isn’t enough members of the police force here in Cayman – so what are they doing – where are they? Why are they not driving around and checking on things and actually booking/fining people – if there was more of that, there would be less crime altogether and even less reason for people to feel unsafe and if you’re not doing anything wrong, then you shouldn’t have to worry.
it’s because they don’t get out of their cars and interact with people. whether it be apathy, fear, laziness or a combination of all, the result is an invisible police service on the streets. at least the dancing policeman spends his time chatting to tourist and locals. to reassure people and gain understanding you have to actually get out of your car and speak to them !
Not being racist, but too many from one culture in the Police Force and many of them have brought their dirty ways with them. Many of them are helping the criminals.. It’s time to mix up the nationalities and get less of them from our neighbor to the east!
This all falls squarely on the shoulders of the RCIPS. They just aren’t doing their jobs well. This is a tiny country, 100 square miles, 70,000 full time residents. How the hell can they not find the people with the illegal guns? They just are not doing their jobs well.
And can we please stop the conversation about allowing residents to own firearms? Has letting every Tom, Dick and Harry own a gun in the States worked? More guns will just lead to more gun violence, NOT safer communities!
You are wrong, My friend. If that were true, they would have the highest rate of crime on earth. Get real !!
I’m good without the school shootings thanks.
This falls squarely on the family members and the community who know who these punks are that are committing these crimes and not informing the police to put a stop to it. Do it anonymously if need be, but do it before someone gets hurt.
Either one of two things need to happen.
1. Revision of the justice system to give serious sentences to serious crimes and not this 2/3rds of slap on the wrist of the x’th time sentence BS.
2. Allow citizens to be armed.
And before the anti-gun people pipe up think about this. We allow so few of them into the island currently by law, but apparently the criminals seem to be able to get them just fine so these laws are obviously working perfectly. The article lists 3 crimes, one with multiple guns and one with a “weapon” that is undefined. How well is the anti-gun laws working in Cayman? Stop handicapping the people from protecting themselves.
I guarantee you the fool that comes into a mom n pop grocery store waving a gun demanding cash has a bullet or two fired back at him will NEVER try to rob that place again by either being dead or by knowing he really takes a risk on his life by trying.
Implement whatever requirements needed to insure safe gun ownership, even forensic ballistic test the guns when they arrive and record the markings on the rounds before possession is made so that any crimes with a gun can be check against the database to see which gun fired the round.
People don’t know that every time a specific gun fires a round, unique microscopic makings are made on the bullets that can be recorded and documented. It is literally a guns fingerprint unique to that weapon so it can be identified.
Cayman would be perfect for that type of database as we currently do not import that many guns and the few ones on the island can easily be brought in to be recorded as part of responsible gun ownership.
It’s not worked out for the US to arm every fool. The training that goes into being able to return fire in a split second is unattainable. This is why you rarely hear of good guys with guns stopping bad guys with guns. But any mentally ill man can get a gun in the US to terrorize schools and public events. BAD IDEA.
True it’s not worked in the US because the right screenings aren’t in place and steps aren’t taken to ensure these guns are secure at home. That’s why mentally ill people can get guns (Parkland shooter for example who spent most of his life in therapy) and as for terrorizing schools that is because of bad gun ownership at home. The school shootings mostly have been guns taken from parents who do not keep them locked up properly.
The plain fact of the matter is legal guns are almost non-existent in Cayman but yet we still have grow gun violence.
And as to why you don’t hear about good guys with guns stopping bad guys is because it doesn’t fit the US media agenda, there are TONS of examples to be found of good guys stopping bad guys with guns, you just need to not look at mainstream media to see it.
that’s all simply not true.
prove me wrong
Your thoughts on why the media doesn’t show the good guys with guns is not true because it happens as rare as winning the billion dollar lottery. You have no proof this is some conspiracy to hide that arming everyday citizens works. The unfortunate proof that it doesn’t is in the news everyday however.
Wow your prove is so undeniable. As said before.. Prove me wrong. It’s sad that the proof of good guys with guns stopping bad guys is actually more prevalent than this media believing sheep thinks if you actually look for it outside mainstream media.
please spare us your parlor chats.
Still haven’t proved me wrong.
This. Alot of comments always state for stricter consequences from the justice system via harsher sentences and some people even ask for death sentences. What better deterrent and consequence is there than allowing citizens firearms to defend themselves? Everyone thinks twice about fighting someone they can lose to, so why dont we arm our population so that these thugs think about, do they want to risk their lives in a shootout over a pack of cigarettes and 500 dollars?
It seems like a simple decision to me but government law makers are still safe behind their gated houses and high walls so they dont care about us. They dont even trust us to have pepper spray. Nothing more patronizing than our law makers treating us like children telling us what we can or cant do.
Utter foolishness. We have taken so much culture and ways from the USA and Jamaica that we don’t need here.
The USA is now a crime ridden cesspool not unlike Jamaica, where taking someone’s life with a gun is a daily occurrence. Most times in mass shootings. All you have to do is turn on the local news in any city in the USA and I will bet $100 a day that you will hear of at least one or more shootings or should I say killings.
The day of the Wild Wild West are over. The possession of guns in the USA for protection as part of their Constitution was never intended for ordinary civilians and children to own military style weapons capable of blowing bodies a part with one shot.
Guns are now being used by big organizations like the NRA( National Rifle Association) to keep politicians in check as their memberships fees and donations are used to support the election of any candidate that will support their agenda..We don’t want or need that here. We have enough corruption in Government as it is.
My comment: It appears you have been brainwashed concerning the use of firearms in the United States. I agree that there are too many people that have weapons that they should not have, and one reason for that is the permits for carrying weapons are not specific enough to properly withhold the licenses from unsuitable people such as those mentally unsuitable. Check the countries that prevent unsuitable persons from owning and/or carrying deadly weapons. They have the lowest numbers of deaths! ……
and crime!
Have you been to the US? It’s a big place. Yes, some cities have crime, but even in those cities the crime is usually located. Yes, there are mass shootings at a mall or a cinema. There are also thousands of places in the US that is quiet, peaceful, crime free or extremely low in crime. The US is not just a handful cities.
Guess you haven’t travelled to the US if you are thumbing down the comment 7:06. I live in city in the states and I can leave my door open throughout the day and night. Why? Because I live in the outer part and where I live it is a wooded area, quiet, no traffic, and very little people, but still the city. I have wild life (deer, raccoon, turkeys, coyotes, etc) walking thru my backyard.
There is already recording of any legal guns’ ballistic markings on rounds when they are imported into the islands. The database you mention is in use and has been for years and it tracks guns not only for Cayman but for the entire region.
Yet it’s the illegally brought in guns that are involved in the crimes.
For the love of God, no!!!
If people cannot cope with the responsibility of not driving like a moron, what makes you think arming them would help?
First of all, if the USA is your shining example of how crime will drop errrr nope. There’s plenty of armed robberies still, but also the added fun of guns being used in suicides, domestics, and road rage incidents.
This is a multi faceted problem. Investment in education, social housing, workforce training, justice system, contraception, policing etc. all needs to happen. I’m not talking about just money either, I mean properly thought through policies and trainings.
I can cope with 1 idiot in a 1000 with a gun. I cannot cope with every idiot potentially being armed.
The idiots are already armed.
Never said they were a shining example of how the crime would drop. I am saying give people a way to protect themselves.
Allowing Cayman population to be armed would turn Cayman into a tragic war zone. Imagine walking out of Kirks and Hurleys and seeing other cars loading up with ammo and AR15s. School shootings would be a MAJOR concern and tourism image of Cayman tranquility would fearfully change.
It wouldn’t happen anyway, all the sensible people would leave and the economy would collapse. 😉
That is irresponsible gun ownership and not what I am talking about.
I am not a criminal so I’m going out in a limb here.
If I am in the robbing business and I think my potential victim is armed, im just going to upgrade my weapons and tactics. In other words, putting a gun in every house isn’t going to discourage criminals from crime it’s going to encourage them to be worse. Don’t believe me? why do you think little kids run around shooting assault rifles with drums in America? Cause nobody wants to have the smallest gun wit the least amount of ammo at the shoot out. That’s what you’re recommending for cayman? You don’t see how that goes downhill fast? No thanks. How about we focus on crime prevention? You know like educating the public so they can get good paying jobs that they are passionate about. Ppl are so focused on law enforcement after the fact and punishment when you wouldn’t have to worry about that if crime was being prevented. Cure the disease and you don’t have to worry about how to treat the symptoms. More guns does not prevent more crime.
little kids run around shooting automatic rifles because thier idiot and irresponsible parents DON’T LOCK UP THIER GUNS!
But then how do you use your gun to protect yourself from an intruder if it’s locked up?? Will you tell the criminal to “hold on a second while I unlock the box to get my gun”? There’s an Australian comedian with a great skit about that….
good reason to not allow guns if these people can’t be trusted to keep them properly then. thanks for making a great point about how irresponsible it is to arm citizens free willy.
You win the internet for today’s most ridiculous comment. 75% of the fools on the road don’t know how to indicate when driving so yeah, lets give these muppets a gun!
Looks like the “Go East Initiative” has returned in the wrongest of ways..
Been saying over and over Cayman are too easy on criminals. But nothing has been done about it. Cayman are fast getting a bad rep that will kill the tourist industry. It seems that from the Governor down cant be bothered about it. what a shame.
Don’t worry bout telling them about the guns
Tell them the mandem were seen with a ganja spliff and did 52 mph on a highway
Maybe then this wutless police would care. Nobody respects them because they don’t respect us. Do ya job and stop trying meet ticket quotas. Come in like pirates!!
RCIPS:
Really
Can’t
Investigate
Public
Situations
Would the DPP and the police please publish their conviction rates for armed robberies? I have heard that it is less than 5% but from news reports it seems like the conviction rate is less than 1%.
No wonder these criminals have no regard for the law.
I suspect that most of the robberies are being committed by people recently released on license from the Northward spa after serving 2/3rds of a 10 day sentence for their previous 12th armed robbery conviction. Such is the state of our criminal justice revolving door system.
Our career criminals know that there is less than a 5% chance that they will be caught and successfully prosecuted and they know that even if convicted sentences in Cayman are a pathetic joke.
Irrespective of the chances , to risk 10 years for whatever is in the till when most payments are on plastic, ciggies and a few bottles of liquor shows you are very stupid, desperate or a hopeless addict. My money would be on the latter.
Ocean’s Eleven this is not.
We’re dealing with garden variety scum. They’ll be caught, they’re too stupid not to.
Our ‘garden variety scum’ are better at their craft than our ‘keystoned cops’ are at theirs.
I’m pretty sure the police could get criminals by enforcement of the traffic laws. But they are never actively patrolling. Every cop should be enforcing traffic laws, not just one department. These are the laziest most corrupt police I’ve ever seen.
saw a reckless black BMW speeding and swerving dangerously through traffic last night just before 900pm on Shamrock Rd. between Smokey’s jerk stand and Tomlinson roundabout. No police in area.
they never are. these people drive like idiots and when you call them out they try to destroy you and film you. it’s insane.
I wonder why I can’t enter the comment I would like to make here…..??
Implement 10 year mandatory sentence for armed robbery regardless of guilty plea with no early release. If they are not local, deport immediately after release and ban them from returning for life. If they are status holders, revoke their status and deport after release. If they are local, place a “3 strike” rule in effect. 3 violent crimes and it’s a mandatory 20 year sentence. Sentencing here is so backwards it’s ridiculous. Pedophiles sometimes get lesser sentences than drug dealers for example.
Absolutely right! Thank you.
Absolutely do not agree! Why dick around? Enact a mandatory death penalty for anyone carrying an illegal firearm and enforce it. There will be no repeat gun carrying robbers. I guarantee it!
You guarantee it? Arrogant much?
If the death penalty stops crime as you guarantee … why are people still committing crimes in places where the death penalty exists? Why weren’t they discouraged? Just cause YOU FEEL like YOU would be discouraged by the death penalty that DOES NOT mean that others will. In fact if you open your eyes and look for yourself you will clearly see that it does not work.
“Whether i kill one or ten, they can only kill me once” that’s the kind of mentality that hard criminals have when the death penalty is on the table.
But you guarantee. Funny.
You mean in the countries where someone on death row can be there for years and years instead of short waits?
You men bring it back, we had one but bleeding hearts took it away because parents who believe their little gangster wannabe demons are really misunderstood angels.
9:17 am. agreed 100 % with you and all law abiding citizens should agree too, and the Government should agree and pass those laws and enforce then ASAP before these islands goes to hell, then it will be too late with no turning back.
It already appears that it is too late!
Should be life imprisonment for any armed robbery. Soon stop them
Telecom location services data history will be able to map which phones were present at these incidents. Eliminate the victim device noise and police will have high certainty on unique device IDs for persons they are supposed to be seeking. Assuming the RCIPS really want to solve crimes and punish criminals.
Cayman is piling more and more evidence it is not safe anymore.
Armed robbery comments are now on Trip Advisor. News travels fast.
It’s every single day at the moment! Police are a joke they don’t even breathalyze drunk drivers!
You could hear a pin drop from the silence of The Premier, Governor, DP, DG,Roy,Alclown and the whole useless crew. Don’t worry Mac, Kenny, JohnJohn & Joey will be out to save us with their masterminds, lets see the Christmas handouts, work programmes and wasteless spending kick into high gear. Please note with all the descriptions given there’s no mentioning of the accents as to protect “a certain nationality” from being targeted but yet the RCIPS are asking for assistance in capturing the criminals. Instead of the mantra CaymanKind it should be CaymanArmedNDangerous. The RCIPS needs to be more present and vigilant 24/7 and stop sleeping at the wheel,businesses should no longer accept cash payments or keep only a small amount $100 in the cash drawer.
Put your yawn here:
Welcome to Little Jamaica.
Caymaica!!!
Welcome to little Kingston! We have finally arrived.
What exactly is the PACT govt doing to address this rise in crime? Where is Wayne So called Premier on all of this? The silence from him and his gang is frightening.
Damn Jamaicans. Stop them from coming here ASAP. Get work permit workers from other Countries.
many of them are here illegally and not via work permit.
oh please….get off your high horse about the Jamaicans. whilst there are several in our prison system over 75% of them are our very own Caymanians….
Don’t worry, Kenny B is working on a solemn video with dramatic lighting.
@11:34Am So what exactly can the PACT Government do other than ask the Governor and Deputy Governor to get the Police in order.. They are the ones that hold the responsibility for the Police and the security of Cayman.
People forget that our politicians are useless or should I say helpless and powerless when it comes on issues such as crime.
The Governor and the Deputy Governor need to step up, speak out and demand better from the Police Commissioner and his team. It appears to me, however, that they continue to hire Jamaicans who are for the most part the issue. Why is it that we can’t find good Police Officers elsewhere rather than these who come from crime ridden countries or retired English friends of the Commissioner who have already fought their battles and have no intention of getting their hands dirty but want to enjoy sea sand and fun for a few years before gathering up their fortune and returning to England with two pensions?
Still no response from the Governor or the COP! One could think with the recent robberies Cayman is under attack by these thugs with no plans in sight to protect businesses, employees and assets.
only the 5th ? from what I’ve heard there 2 more in West Bay on Thursday that went unreported. dangerous out there at the moment but crime is stable so don’t worry.
7.51 But the police in charge of West bay was just promoted for doing a great job so that cant be true! No crime in wild west.
Would providing every store in Cayman with a silent “life alert button” but instead as a 911 call be the solution?
Not sure how much these would cost but considering the millions in budget surplus Cayman is swimming in this could be a cheap efficient option.
Once an island loses it’s safe reputation it’s hard to regain tourism.
And you are assuming the RCIP will respond, make an arrest, have an actual charge and logical court decision? This is CAYMAN – those assumptions are not in line with reality.
Well Cayman is flushed with cash and the police have quality police SUV / cars to arrived there. I have no sympathy under these circumstances. Ball is in Government’s court to make improvements.
A good start would be getting police to get off their arses and do something worthwhile!
If I were a business owner — particularly one of small, nighttime supply places — I would install such a thing myself. Not certain our local network could accommodate it however.
Enforce premises security. Especially if you’re a place open late. Quality camera. No face, no entry.
RCIP response times are measured in hours not seconds. I had a armed vagrant (Machete and carving knife) break in and squatting my shop in the middle of George town, It took the police 4 hours to get there. I could have walked to the police station in 20 minutes.
This is just the beginning of it. With the ridiculous cost of living here combined with the climbing interest rates, and let’s not even mention the massive recession that’s about to roll in. We will certainly be sure to see the crime rates soar.
Everything has gone up in my household, but I have never thought let me go rob some woman walking down the street or a small business.
I would not even entertain the thought of doing so as well, however there are people out there that are less fortunate and WILL consider taking a chance. Remember for every action there is a reaction – so if it gets really difficult for people that are already struggling then it opens the opportunity for petty crimes along with more serious offenses to take place.
There was a time, when I was a young man, where we were afforded the means to protect ourselves.
I am a firm proponent of allowing legal nonlethal self-defence. RCIPS — while commonly blamed — can only respond to various events; they cannot anticipate where the criminals are going to strike.
We are going to have to help wrangle this problem ourselves.
Sounds like same 4 guys..how difficult to find.
with the holiday season coming up, expect more of these activities. Gone are the days you can walk the streets and feel safe.
We are not traveling to Turks this year due to the uptick in crime. We are also contemplating our Cayman holiday trip. Yes, we are from the US, and no, we have not had 5 armed robberies in the past week in our area. No shootings either for anyone asking. These trips are getting extremely expensive and to be concerned about safety makes us question our destination choice. Long time visitors to both islands.
We are in the same mind-set as you. Have travelled to Costa Rica, Belize, T & C, Jamaica, and most often to Cayman. Cayman used to be very safe (my experience is 1984+), not anymore. And is vastly too expensive.
Family been going since the 90’s. We are now too nervous to book. It’s the road accidents, the burglaries, the shooting right at the Westin It doesn’t feel like the old vacation spot. We are holding off for now. Plus it’s so expensive. 3x pre covid price for 4.
Cayman Brac are very safe and friendly
come to Caynan Brac, here are still very safe and friendly peope.
And absolutely nothing to do and nowhere to go. A 3 day weekend break at best.
3:02 am and 10:47 am come to Cayman Brac where it’s very safe and friendly. Thanks
Come on Mr Roper you’re in charge of the RCIP with you finger on the pulse of these things, did I miss your response ?
Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! et al.
Hey, but there were some cop promotions tho…
They have no fear as police are invisible mostly
These headlines do not say luxury destination!
In fact, it says quite the opposite.