Handbag Snatch
Wed, 2005-05-04
At 11:35pm on Wednesday, Police on mobile patrol on Mullet Bay Road in St. George’s received a report of a handbag snatch. The victim, a 72 year old female American visitor to the island, stated that she was walking along Mullet Bay Road when she noticed a man walking up the hill in her direction. When he got closer he lunged at her, grabbing her purse. In the struggle the 72 year old victim fell to the ground and the culprit made good his escape, running east on Mullet Bay Road. The suspect is described as approximately 6’ tall, of medium build weighing approximately 200 pounds. He was wearing all black with a heavy jacket or fleece top, and a hat or hood over his head. The red purse contained approximately $700 in cash, a Motorola camera and personal items. Inquiries into this incident are underway. Police are appealing for any witnesses to this incident or anyone with any information to contact the St. George’s Criminal Investigation Unit on 297-1122.
Around 4:15pm on Wednesday, Police attended a reported handbag snatch on Tween Walls Road in Sandy’s parish. The victim, a 63 year old female American visitor to the island, stated that she was walking along Tween Walls Road when a man on a motorcycle rode by and grabbed the plastic bag she was carrying, knocking her to the ground. The culprit then made good his escape along Tween Walls Road and on to Cambridge Road. The suspect is described as a black male of medium build with a beard, wearing dark clothing and a white helmet. He was riding a dark coloured motorcycle or auxiliary cycle and is believed to be in his 40s. The bag contained $20 in cash, a silver Verizon cellular phone and personal items. Inquiries into this incident are underway. Police are appealing for any witnesses to this incident or anyone with any information to contact the Somerset Criminal Investigation Unit on 234-1010.
Advisory
As we all are aware, the tourist season is now upon us. As a result Police have stepped up patrols in vulnerable areas around the island where tourists frequent. A Tourist Crimes Unit has been established to be proactive in dealing with persons who prey on visitors to our shores. We also would like for members of the public to be on the look out for individuals who are acting suspiciously in and around tourist properties and public areas. If you notice anything suspicious, contact Police immediately. If the suspect is on a motorcycle, it is important to get a good description of the individual and the vehicle, and if possible the license plate number. The vast majority of these offences are crimes of opportunity. Therefore it makes sense for visitors to take reasonable precautions to prevent becoming victims of crime. For more information, click on Tourist Safety Tips.
For the peak summer tourist season, the Bermuda Police Service will be deploying a Tourist Crimes Unit. This new Unit will replace the former Beach Squad Unit which operated primarily on the beaches to reduce crime and disorder associated with the beaches. The Unit will consist of two officers – which will be supplemented by an additional third officer in July and August – and will have the responsibility to provide highly visible Police patrols in the areas frequented by tourists. The officers will work flexible shifts in order to increase their presence at specific events and locations. The Unit will investigate offences involving tourist victims and will arrest those responsible for offences committed against tourists. The Unit will concentrate on crime prevention and will give specific advice to tourists and locals regarding the safety of their property on the beaches and at other tourist venues across the Island. The Unit will also work closely with the security teams at the Island’s hotels to better co-ordinate the crime reduction efforts. The Unit will commence their duties just prior to the May 24th holiday and will continue to operate until the end of October. The Unit will supplement the investigative efforts being carried out by officers in the three Stations in the Operational Policing Division.
Media Note
The Bermuda Police Service will be holding a press conference at 2pm on Tuesday, May 10, 2005 at the Reserve Police Headquarters in Prospect regarding the 1st Quarter Crime Statistics for 2005. All media are invited to attend.
