WB restaurant robbed by armed gang
(CNS): Three masked men, one of whom was armed with a handgun, held-up a popular West Bay beachfront restaurant on Sunday night in the second of two armed robberies in the district over the weekend. The hold-up happened at Alfresco Restaurant at around 9:00pm (20 March), where customers on the outside deck, including tourists, were also victims.
Police said that one man (robber #1), who was approximately 5’10″ to 5’11”, entered the restaurant wearing a mask with only his eyes exposed. He brandished a handgun, and demanded cash from the register.
The other robbers (#2 and #3) approached customers dining on the deck and demanded their valuables. Both were wearing black-and-white bandanas from the nose down. Robber #2 was about 6’2”. One of the male customers noticed that he only had a plastic bag and started to struggle with him, during which the customer sustained an injury to his head and his right arm.
At this time robber #3 went to the door of the restaurant and called the man with the gun, who discharged his firearm in the air, which made the customer who was struggling with robber #2 give up his wallet.
The three robbers then ran to Henning Lane and fled the scene in a silver car headed in the direction of West Church Street. Police officers cordoned off the scene and interviewed witnesses. The man who was assaulted was taken to George Town Hospital, treated and discharged.
The restaurant also has CCTV but police did not say if the robbers or any of the incident was visible on the cameras. This is the third time that the restaarant has been robbed.
Officers are now appealing for anyone with information to contact the West Bay CID at 649-3999 or to call the Miami-based call centre of Crime Stoppers at 800-8477(TIPS).
How far away is the nearest Police Station? What was the response time of the Police? How big is West Bay? Are there any Police dogs that could have tracked the perpetrators?
This seems just like another Police bumble…I really think the Governor must act an appoint a new Commissioner of Police who can command respect and organize his team to fight crime in a manner that is not always questioned by the general public.
If we were to make everyone, individuals and companys pay duty. No more duty concessions to rich developers, We might have the money to have a police department we need. Our government to so busy giving concessions away that we can not have the basic services a country as “rich “as ours deserves and needs.
But the rich are doing fine thank you! As are the politicians!
We need an addition to our sentencing guidelines which provides for any crime perputated against a tourist to be at least two times the regular sentence. No exceptions. No judicial discretion. These punk boys with their teenage mamas are wrecking this country.
shut the hell up. When we go foreign and something like this happens to us, would those responsible be given double the time given that they perpetuated the crime against a tourist…. thought so *sighhh*
CONTRACEPTION and deportation of all unemployed foreign economic migrants would be a great start.
How about Mac starting that as a way to make up for the mess he created.
Read comments on Trip advisor forum today. The main question everybody asks is Why police don’t respond and why criminal are not being caught.
.. In our home country of Canada people don’t break into your home while you are there . . . that is a home invasion and in Cayman this is happening 700+ times per year on an island of 50,000 people? That is not a chance I wish to take with my family….
https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g147365-i261-k9368224-Any_thoughts_on_recent_break_ins-Grand_Cayman_Cayman_Islands.html
Unfortunately TripAdvisor for whatever weird reasons deletes comments about crime. You can see that 3/4 of the comments were deleted
Let us not get too complacent with these recent armed robberies .It IS getting worse and IF we do not deal with it quickly we will loose many of our tourism visitors.It will only take ONE shooting death and we will be in a cant win situation which will give us a very bad image abroad.and lead to many more job losses island wide.
All a apart of the UK grand plan to run Cayman to ground with rampant crime ,corrupt foreign police whilst blaming the natives for social upheaval create by them with economic and legal policies. Whilst they sit back siphon off the wealth and provide the local gentry with stupid titles and accolades to keep them loyal. What a mess please stop blaming Mr David Baines he is not the problem its us and our elected Dodo birds, who we keep electing and our Leader. Ask your self this, who just bought a $125,000 dollar Jaguar for dear Beloved??? when will Aldon and Wayne take off their Union Jack underpants?????
What a stupid post, blaming the UK, how about getting the great savior Mac to fix the problem he has created.
2 or 3 people is not a “gang” ok?!
yes Dear 6:01am the natives should be restless after all its their government that is paying good money to these imported foreign criminals in our police Force who are refusing now to response to matters of life and death. Who just like you are making excuses for their criminal misconduct by blame others. Yet on government pay day they are very responsive and proactive in collecting our money. Try go home bout ya Ja rule! look where that has got unnah?
Why aren’t the police cars that are parked at police stations, day and night, out on the roads 24/7 ? Not only would they be a deterrent to would be thieves and those who drink and drive but also the chances are that one could be near to incident as it is happening.. and so reaction time could be reduced from hours to minutes. Why do police have to waste their valuable time attending minor motor accidents when in other jurisdictions the motorists simply swap details and their insurance companies sort it out
If the cops were all out in cars then reaction time would still be hours (if not days) as they would have to drag their sorry asses out of the doughnut shops that they had stopped at for “refreshment” after all that driving.
you all should be living in juarez,mexico. this restaurant robbery would not have been so light hearted. be grateful that cayman is what it is.
go back there then
I guess that makes it reason #973 why I live in the Cayman Islands and not in Juarez Mexico
Premier Alden Mclaughlin , and COP David Baines. I just wanted to tell you that you should be very proud of your selves’ for doing such a good job at being the worst that you can be.
YOU BOTH SUCK!!!
Government help with the high unemployed ppl and poverty in our island then maybe we will see a little less crime. Give them a reason to not commit crimes. People are not going to sit around and wait. Just as they always say better them than me but that’s until you are a victim or in the criminal shoes.
most of you caymanians have been stuck on this little rock to long. a weekend in miami spending most of your time in dolphin mall(shittiest mall in florida) is not experiencing the world. this is not a good thing but still nothing compared to what happens else where. nobody got shot.
then why do you live here……… move home
Just wait until the prisons start early patrolling people. It’s not going to get any better.
Early release. Oh my godness don’t you read anything, the new conditional release law keeps prisoners in prison longer.
Bernie you have been in parliament for 3 years now. Yet crime in west bay is getting worse. What have you done? What are you doing except attacking the Commissioner ?
You told us that your passion was the youth and that you were going to help our young people. Is this it?
this is a petty crime
It won’t be petty when we become the next Jamaica or else where in Caribbean when tourists can’t leave their resorts ……………….
what part of jamaica or caribbean do tourist not leave there resorts? jamaica has a higher crime rateand tourist seem to enjoy themselves way more.
All Jamaican resorts are all inclusive because of their crime rate…stupid.
This is beyond disgusting….. How can we continue to recommend this fine restaurant to our tourist guests? Chef Phillipp Wilson deserves better, and so do the good people of West Bay ….. Let’s only hope that some good citizen turns in these scumbags quickly to show that Caymanians really do not condone this behaviour!
Yous a yardie or what!!
It’s not petty when it is an armed robbery of guests at a restaurant. It is a shocking crime which, very sadly, the RCIP seem to be struggling to deter. What can the public do when faced with escalating crime. Our politicians MUST take ACTION, not talk, to address unemployment and our RCIP MUST take ACTION, not excuses, to round up these thugs and all illegal weapons and those who are dealing in stolen items. Otherwise we will need armed guards at all key locations.
Seems like the natives are getting restless again, or we just have a failed education system couples with failed parenting and compounding by an entitlement culture. Ja rule.
many are not our natives.
These robberies , anti social behavior, juvenile delinquency, a sub culture that is perpetrated by mass media and driven by information and technology age which is based on sensualization, short term self gratification and grandizment. These actions is only the tip of the iceberg of what is really taking place in Cayman in regards to a dysfunctional public educational system, weak and nonexistent social institutions which is producing prime candidates for the above behaviors. Furthermore the days of comparing the negative things that occur on our island to Jamaica is over. You could fool the older generations of Caymanians with that colonized scare tactic. But we are the well informed generation and jamaica is a inspiration to all Carribean People of what a national identity means to a people who have come a far way in overcoming the legacy of colonialism.
Spell “Caribbean” properly before you speak about pride.
and yes, I’m a “Caribbean” person too.
You are not fooling anybody when you claim you are Cayman, but act Jamaican or look Jamaican, or have the ethical or moral flexibility of a criminal Jamaican that you glorify in secret to stick to the “man” or your imaginary colonial enemy of the past. You are the problem by validating the next generation criminals.
natives? so you are aware then of the nationality or the suspects?
I gave this a Thumbs Up.
But I assume you meant “Jah Rule” (God) – not JA Rule (Jamaica).
cayman is a scared country. we need a war.
Less than 1000 metres from the police station – hell, the robbers even fled in the direction of the police station! Suppose its an improvement on the shot fired attempted robbery at the liquor store – half the distance that time. The RCIPS got West Bay locked down tight – not.
This is so terrible, what is happening to that island?? Get this under control people!
Wow, this is really amazing!! We have at least four ARMED robberies in the district of West Bay in the last two weeks. The last being with tourist enjoying dinner at one of the busiest and nicest restaurants in West Bay. The robbers just walked into the restaurant and demanded cash from the cashier and from our guests, yes our guests to the Islands!!! We were once a proud Island, as a Caymanian growing up here, this was never heard of before!!! Where are all the elected members for West Bay? What are they saying or doing to help these useless crimes for reoccurring? Where is Bernie, Mckeeva, Tara, and whispering Eugene on these matters? What are our politicians doing to get these thugs off the streets!! I cannot believe that there is no more concern about these serious crimes happening right here in our own little Islands!! Where are the Police? Why are there no more armed patrols in the area, knowing that these stupid but serious crimes are not being addressed!!! Where is the Premier? What is he doing about these situations. You all, our representatives are not doing anything about these serious crimes. What is it going to take for you all to really take this thing serious? Maybe McKeeva, did not see these things as a serious crime wave here in Cayman, as he was in Jamaica recently with the swearing in of the Prime Minister and there is so much crime there that this seems normal for him!! We are sick of these crimes happening on our little Islands!! We will take things into our hands very soon if this continues and there will be nothing that the law can do about it!! They are not doing anything now about the criminals running free and wild, so why should they get concerned when good upright citizens turn and take control? We are sick of this, our leaders!! We will hunt and capture these little punks if you cannot do your job, both politicians and police alike!! Please, do not take these crimes lightly anymore. This is my Island, I have a right to protect these Islands for myself and the future generations!! If things are not done soon and I mean very soon, don’t be shocked when we get things done ourselves!! Every week there is an article in the newspaper concerning the opposition, either suing or taking credit for the past, yet not one word on the serious issue of crime!!! Lastly, what about the churches? Why are they not taking a bolder step towards fighting crime? If they hear of decriminalizing of marijuana, gay partners or casinos they are up in arms. But where are their stance on incest, rape, armed robbery? I ahve never heard or read a preacher or elder of the churches address these armed robberies destroying our peaceful Islands!! A Caymanian that is truly sick of these crimes and won’t stand for it anymore!!!
Crime is happening all over the world. Just because the Caymans are small family-knit Islands doesn’t mean their exempt from these sort of happenings.
Just for your information, the opposition is not who you should be attacking and holding responsible for these recent crimes, the government of the day is and you didn’t even mention them once, Alden went to Jamaica too, you didn’t mention that, he is responsible for running the country including the district of West Bay… I would not be surprised if you were not a UDP supporter.
Anonymous 12:10 – Sorry, I am just getting back to you on this situation. In case you didn’t notice, I did mention the Premier!! I said, where is the Premier? As far as I know, the Premier is Alden Mclaughlin. I am not afraid to mention anyone when they are wrong, could even be my precious mother!! I mentioned Mckeeva, Bernie, Tara (who is not a UDP member), and whispering Eugene, which I state sarcastically, due to the fact that we hardly hear from him. But for your information, I did vote for Bernie and Mckeeva in the last elections along with Tara. What I am saying now, is that I am truly disappointed with their type of discouraging actions that is being taken against such serious crimes!!! Just because you may be a UDP supporter, does not mean that you have to treat them as gods, when they are wrong. Please, grow some b**** and stand up to these people when they are wrong!! McKeeva has done some good for these Islands, but he has done a lot of bad also. Please, these are the people representing our little district of West Bay, so these are the people we have to hold responsible along with the Premier!!! I am a supporter of honest, incorruptible, transparent leadership!!! Please, let us stand up when it is wrong and condemn!!! Maybe this will shed some more light on your response. Thank you very much for your time in hopefully reading this response.
Met this lady who said that she was fed up I asked he what was wrong she replied that she was tired of bills piling up. I told her that all she had to do was take them to ther central Police Station as everything disappears from there. So all we have is incompetent police service
What shame
I have been coming to Grand Cayman since 1984- traveling as a single woman. I have never been afraid. I have been overwhelmed by the kindness of the Caymanians. This robbery is too close to my condo. As good people, we cannot carry arms. I wish the thieves had to follow the same rules.
Anonymous 8:58 pm please be careful. We too were long term tourists and property owners who were a victim of a break in. We thought if we were careful it wouldn’t happen to us . . . But it did. We do not have flashy jewelry or electronics, we locked doors and windows of condo and had alarm set. But that did not stop two men from breaking into the lanai and using a large knife to cut the screen to the master bedroom where our young daughter was asleep with us as my elderly parents had the other room. This was our last trip to the island. We were supposed to stay for four weeks but left shortly after this incident. It happened at Coral Bay Village at 11:30pm on a Friday night and while police came out that night they did not return our calls in the following days as we wanted to tell them several youth were hanging out in empty lot beside condo and were constantly watching it and walking towards doors when people were in water. This did not feel like a safe situation so we opted to cut our trip short. I wish you the best and would caution all tourists to never think it can’t happen to them. Unfortunately it can and seems to more and more regularly.
So sorry to hear about your awful experience 8.04am. Was the window in your master bedroom locked or was it open with just the screen? We live close by Coral Bay Village and we keep our doors and windows locked and have an alarm. Are you saying this is not enough? How are they getting through locked doors and windows? Worried.
All the windows and doors were locked. Yes, I agree it is extremely troubling.
beyond words 3 how hard is it to find 2 brothers and their friend the car is now sprayed black Its still a POS just like the boys riding around in it How hard can this be? here is a hint go to the store that sells paint for cars they also sell motorcycles (Hint Hint ) and enquire who purchased gloss black paint last week
Or you could drop a dime to crimestoppers and tell them what you know.
Here we go again. Let’s all follow the police/politician handbook and pretend it never happened.
If the Police and other powers that be really want to help Cayman win the fight against crime they need to stop focusing on petty crime like possession of marijuana (small personal use amounts) and focus on real crime!
… Or focus on both. Weed ain’t an innocent bystander my friend.
Get the right shipment of drugs.
It is worse than you can ever believe. I have known of an investigation of an individual who was targeted because his boss wanted to fire him but could not because he did a good job. Through his connections the boss was able to have an ongoing investigation that followed him wherever he moved to on the island and they spent thousands in surveillance A plain waste so a few pricks would have the upper hand where he worked.
Sad situation…