VIRGIN ISLANDS (19 August 2004) -- Two armed robberies on St. John's East End have residents of the normally quiet island concerned for their safety. About 3 p.m. Sunday, a couple who live on Privateer Bay reported that three men with guns forcibly entered their home, according to police spokesman Sgt. Thomas Hannah. The couple was bound with duct tape and robbed of an undisclosed amount of cash. After robbing the residents, the suspects searched the house for jewelry. The residents were later able to free themselves and called police. Hannah said that police found three men who fit the description of the suspects in the Coral Bay area after the home invasion. After the men - Saeiki Scott, Andre Scott and Junior Miller - were detained, police discovered that they were all undocumented Jamaican nationals. Miller had been deported from the United States and is not allowed to re-enter the country without permission. Hannah said that all three men have been turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and are still in custody. Miller is being prosecuted in District Court in connection with illegal re-entry. They have not been charged in connection with the home invasion. On Aug. 11, two tourists at Concordia Campground were robbed at gunpoint by two masked men, Hannah said. The man and his pregnant wife, who were visiting from Ohio, were walking to their studio unit from their vehicle after dark, said Maggie Day, the campground's general manager. As they noticed that the motion-detector light at the campground did not come on, two men wearing ski masks grabbed them and pointed guns at them. They demanded money and jewelry from the tourists and ordered them to go straight to their room. The tourists complied, Day said, and they heard a vehicle driving away. No arrests have been made. Day said this is the first time that a violent incident has occurred at the campground. The couple's money was refunded, and they were transferred to another eco-tourism property owned by Maho Bay, which operates Concordia. "This is a remote campground on the southeast side," Day said. "It's a very peaceful location for everyone. We're all very shaken." | | In the wake of the robbery, security guards patrol the campground at night and escort tourists to their tents and studios. Day said that they are installing a surveillance camera. Coral Bay Community Council President Sharon Coldren said St. John residents are disturbed by the recent crime. Residents are working to put together neighborhood watch groups and plan to meet with the police to discuss other crime prevention methods, she said. People are beginning to check on suspicious vehicles and inquire about people they do not recognize in the neighborhood. Even though community members are trying to become more involved in crime prevention, Coldren said they would like to see a greater police presence - especially in the Coral Bay area. Top police officials recently announced that $250,000 would be used to construct a police substation in Coral Bay. While Coldren said that would be helpful, a visible police presence in Coral Bay around the clock could also help end problems. "I think they definitely need to have more manpower to deal with the large physical area here," Coldren said. Day agreed, saying that a single police car regularly patrolling East End Road - the only major route on the East End - could allow for quick response to crimes or even a roadblock for escaping criminals. Hannah said that the Police Department is holding community meetings to help formulate neighborhood watch campaigns. Neighborhood watches, he said, are known to make a positive difference in communities. "This is a matter of citizens of the territory and law enforcement working in a partnership to prevent criminal activity," Hannah said. SOURCE - Virgin Islands Daily News |
