Five afternoon break-ins
have police on the alert
PHILIPSBURG--Police are paying close attention to what could be a new trend in burglaries after five mid-afternoon break-ins over the weekend that hint at a possible new approach for burglars on the island.
Four homes in Oyster Pond, Guana Bay, L.B. Scott Road and Lowlands were hit between Friday and Sunday while the residents were not home, with the thieves escaping with the usual assortment of electronics, valuable jewellery and cash. The only difference was that these crimes were committed before sunset, police said Sunday.
Chief Inspector Johan “Janchi” Leonard warned that the community should not panic over these four house break-ins and one car burglary, because it might have been an anomaly. However, he advised residents to pay more attention to simple cautionary measures when leaving their homes. “We are following this to see if it is becoming a trend,” he said.
Leonard advised the public to follow precautionary measures like ensuring all doors and windows on all floors are locked when away from home, citing one of the cases where the burglars had broken into the house by scaling the side of the building and accessing an open window. In another case, burglars had knocked guard dogs unconscious before taking jewellery and electronics from a home.
Leonard suggested that residents hide their valuables to make them less accessible to thieves, who often enter and clear out their victim’s property within 10 to 15 minutes. Hide away your jewellery “so it takes more time to get to it,” he suggested.
A burglar’s first goal is usually cash. “I strongly believe they enter with the intention of getting cash,” Leonard noted, saying that valuables were seen as suitable alternatives in the absence of money.
Police are focusing on burglars and are trying to determine if this is a new trend or just a coincidence, saying they have no intention of turning four cases into the standard for these crimes. “We do have to look at this more closely,” Leonard said.
