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A photo of the damage to James' vehicle.
A photo of the damage to James’ vehicle.

Police on Wednesday said there files show “absolutely no record” of a report by Kevin James, an Akers man, who said told I-Witness News he reported to police on May 26 the May 22 burglary of his vehicle in Kingstown.

James said he was shocked by the police’s statement since it was detectives from the Criminal Investigations Department who had informed him of the crime.

He said the report was taken by detective Cruickshank who had informed him that detective Dopwell was leading the investigation but was unavailable to record the statement.

In a statement on Tuesday, Police refuted media reports that 17 vehicles were broken into in Kingstown over the May 22 to 25 weekend, while the Carnival Band Association held an event at Victoria Park.

But James told I-Witness News on Wednesday that burglar(s) removed a DL750 smartphone from his vehicle and he had to pay EC$350 to repair a glass pane that was broken when the vehicle was parked near the Public Health Department on Lindley Street, Kingstown.

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The Carnival Development Corporation said last week that it had learned of the break-ins and promised patrons that no vehicle would be burglarized in Kingstown while the Miss SVG pageant was being held on Saturday.

But the Police Public Relations Department said in a statement on Tuesday that it would like “to refute inaccurate reports published in the media here that seventeen vehicle break-ins took place in the vicinity of Carnival City, Victoria Park, over the May 22nd to 25th, 2015, weekend.

“According to our records, there were no reports of vehicle break-ins over the weekend period in question,” police said

“The RSVGPF would like use the opportunity to reassure residents of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and visitors to our shores that the necessary public security measures have been put in place to ensure a safe Vincy Mas and that there is no cause for fear or alarm,” the statement further said.

But James told I-Witness News on Wednesday that he learnt of the burglary of his vehicle after police asked that an announcement be made at Victoria Park

He said detectives from the Criminal Investigation Department who were patrolling Kingstown had discovered the burglary.

“At the show the night of the 23rd, the announcement was made that two vehicles were broken into around the Ministry of Health next to the Lottery booth…

“When I arrived there, police were already there. They stated their name and said that they were the ones who when into the park and asked to announce it and said over 15 vehicles were also broken into around [St. Joseph’s] Convent side,” James told I-Witness News.

“I went to CID on the 26th and made an official [report],” James said, adding that he finds it “strange that last night I going to understand that police issued a statement saying that no vehicle was broken into around Victoria Park between the 23rd to the 25th of May.

“This is shocking because I made a report of it on the 26th,” James said.

“How are we to believe what the police bring to the public now, when things like this happen and you report it and yet you are hearing police saying nothing happened when they were on the site?

“Is it that they are over worked and don’t want to write reports? Or is it that they say they are doing a good job and nothing like this is happening?” he said.

12 replies on “Vehicle burglary victim shocked as police deny he filed report”

  1. C. ben-David says:

    This has happened to me twice as well; three reports to the public relations dept over the years were also not followed up.

    This so-called police force is a disgrace to the profession.

    No competence, to professionalism, no concern for public safety. No nothing.

    1. Patrick Ferrari says:

      C. ben, how’s this?

      We caught a tiefman the other day and handed him over to the police. When we went to file a the report the policeman did not want to write up one. And he didn’t. The corporal at the desk did his best coax him but it didn’t make no difference. After 20 minutes we walked out. No report. Tief back out.

      Calliaqua 27, May, 1 p.m.

      At least you filed. Three times.

    1. CDB, you twerp. Lets just agree that police go to work to get paid to keep their families, they do not go to work to waste their time writing reports.

  2. Im not surprised. I used to work in a Construction firm that is handling the Argyle Airport. I used to work in the Accounting department, and 1 night burglars break in and took our vault. It would take 3 men to carry a big vault with money. Police Officer came the following day to investigate but after that, we never heard anything. No news, no follow-up, no everything. Whats happening with SVG for real??

  3. Brakin_bad1 says:

    The question I would like to ask is where does the Ministry of National Security stand on matters like this? More importantly, why is it the primary and secondary school students get computers (and this is great) but does our police head quarters and divisions in St Vincent and the Grenadines still have to use blank paper, ruler and pens to take reports? How do they keep criminal records? How does detectives find these records when they are needed? Would Technology not bring great transparency in this area? So who doesn’t want transparency in our Security/Justice systems?

    1. We must always remember that we employ convicted felons in our police force and that is a well recorded fact.

    2. C. ben-David says:

      Most police officers are not literate enough to use a computer, although many eight-year-old Vincentians are. That is the state of affairs we have today.

Comments closed.