St. Maarten Private Eye

Daylight robbery on Front Street - 28th March 2008

SMN News

Philipsburg: --- Another jewelry store, this time the Park Avenue was attacked yesterday and robbed during broad daylight hours confirmed police spokesman Johan Janchi Leonard. Leonard said the incident occurred during the midday hours when two masked men armed with hand guns entered the store, held up one of the employees at gun point while the other one broke the showcase. The bandits then stole a large amount of jewelry and ran away through one of the alleys. Leonard said that the police are calling on the general public for any information that would lead to the arrest of the culprits.

SMN News learnt the entire ordeal took less than two minutes and the employee who was held at gun point turned out to be the wife of the shop owner. One eye witness a tourist said that the attackers came into the store while there were many shopping customers inside the store. One of the men he said took a hammer and broke the show cases and then grabbed the jewelries which included gold and diamond bracelets as well as monies from the cash register.

In the meantime the United Business Association in a press release states they condemn the broad day light armed robbery in the center of Philipsburg yesterday. “This is the third incident on armed robberies within a short period of time it is another sad day for our business people in St Maarten.” The lack of protection and security in the heart of our economic center in Philipsburg leaves much to be desired. How do we explain this travesty with three cruise ships in the harbour when masked men decided at high noon to rob a packed jewelry store in broad day light brandishing fire arms like a scene in a Hollywood movie.
No police, no VKS and no Soualiga patrol just the ugliness of this crime, with so many tourist young and old in the Front street had to experience this horrible armed robbery.

The UBA wants to know what the authorities are doing about these spates of robbery which they said is climbing far too high. They said its time the local chief of police and the Minister of justice do some serious soul searching to address the crime situation on the island. They are now wondering what they should expect tomorrow or the day after and when would everyone wake up out of this slumber. The UBA asked of St. Maarten needs this type of crime to continue and what types of messages is sent to visitors. They asked if this is the way the island leaders is preparing for country status and wants to know what else has to happen before the necessary steps are taken to combat the increasing crime rate. The UBA said they need answers now and is calling on the relevant authorities to do what is necessary.

1 comment | read more