By John Denny
Nevis Reporter
(Charlestown, Nevis) – Police are asking the public to be more vigilant in securing their premises as a rash of burglaries has broken out around town.
“We have seen about 20 in the last month,” said Sgt. Nigel Carty of the Royal St. Kitts-Nevis Police. “Most of these have been in Ramsbury.”
Items targeted by the thieves are laptop computers, cameras, cash and jewelry, Carty said.
“Most of the break-ins could have been avoided had the residence been more secure,” Sgt. Carty said.
Some suggestions for securing one’s property are: good secure locks on doors, burglar bars on windows, motion sensitive lights if affordable, attentive neighbors and dogs, Sgt. Carty said.
“If there are high hedges around your house, you should cut them down. Hedges afford thieves a place to hide. We don’t need houses to look like a fortress with a lot of barbed wire and such,” Sgt. Carty said. “But a few extra security measures might keep people from breaking in.”
Most of the break-ins have occurred at night and almost always when people are gone.
“We have had some (burglaries) in Brazier’s that happened during the daytime,” Carty said. “It is a quiet neighborhood during the day with few people around.”
There is a list of suspects, Sgt. Carty said.
“We think most of this is the work of a small group of people,” Sgt. Carty said. “Some of them just got out of prison and a couple of them we suspect were just convicted by the courts and they are stealing to try and pay off their fines.”
There have also been three incidents of cars being stolen. In every case, Sgt. Carty said the victim had left the keys in their car and went inside a store or shop for just a moment.
“We always find the car, at some place like Long Point. The only damage to the car is usually a stolen stereo,” Sgt. Carty said.
The police are seeking information from the public about these crimes. There is a system in place to pay for information or reward anyone assisting in bringing these criminals to justice, Sgt. Carty said.
