News
Bold Theft; were Police really siding with the Crook?
By Deandrea Hamilton & Dana Malcolm
Editorial Staff
#TurksandCaicos, April 7, 2022 – The Professional Standards Team of the Royal TCI Police Force has opened an internal review of whether members of the Force carried out proper operating procedures in response to a robbery in progress report.
Police Commissioner, Trevor Botting in response to Magnetic Media questions confirmed that a complaint from a homeowner has, “raised concerns with how the matter has been handled and our professional standards team is looking into the issue.”
The matter about which the Commissioner is responding involves a homeowner in eastern Providenciales who, on CCTV camera, caught two men ripping him off; they were about to make off with all of his plywood.
His alarm system triggered the alert and brought him to the scene where he was able to block in the white flatbed truck which was without plates and appeared to be unlicensed as Police, who had already been called, were on their way.
Those CCTV cameras were installed after the man suffered a previous robbery. He could not prevent the escape of one of the suspects but the other, the truck driver, remained at the scene.
The Police arrived and the homeowner thought the incident would be wrapped up, a straight forward open and shut case, but he was sadly mistaken.
After one suspect ran off into bushes and got away, the driver who stayed behind made repeated requests that his truck be released to him.
The man, who had also issued the CCTV video to the Commissioner of Police explained to Magnetic Media that he lost confidence when the responding officers seemed to side with the ‘thieving’ driver of the truck.
Police said, according to the complainant, the man was merely the driver and should get his truck.
The CCTV video clearly shows two men brazenly loading, sheet by sheet, the plywood from a stack in the yard to the bed of the truck.
The home owner, who told us about the ordeal on Friday April 1, explained he had to remind Police about the video which clearly showed the driver was an accomplice and co-conspirator.
What would follow would be more missteps by Police including showing up late to take the homeowner’s statement at the Grace Bay police station and despite being warned, entering his homeowners property without his permission in another attempt to extract the truck
While they claimed it would make up evidence, the man demanded a court order and said he discovered that at the time, the CID was not even aware of the matter.
For the homeowner his other concerns were that the police seemed to be in league with the thief, that according to him the criminal investigation department was not more immediately alerted to the brazen theft and that officers easily ignored his right to privacy presenting no court order to remove evidence in an attempted theft caught on camera.
Additionally, at least one Police officer when asked by Pastor Pedro Williams, who was called to the troubling scene when an unauthorized wrecker was trying to pull the criminal’s truck out of the victim’s yard, was curt and disrespectful toward the well-known church leader.
“This is a story that needs to be brought to the public. Not for me but for the public because the public needs to understand their rights. We need to understand when the police are overstepping their boundaries. If it was someone else, this situation would have gone differently because people see the uniform and a badge and they run scared.”
The homeowner is also calling upon Police to initiative an information campaign to make citizens more aware of their rights; detailing how Members of the Royal TCI Police are supposed to act and what they are allowed to do when tending to a crime scene.
“I am not out to say shame the Police I just want people to understand this is your right, you have authority…”
The Commissioner, in that reply to Magnetic Media informed there has been an arrest in the case.
The Police should go another step further and make this individual known to the general public by exposing his identify upon formal arraignment.
According to the homeowner who shared his story, due to the massive increase in the cost of building materials, theft of supplies has spiked and is plaguing his Community.
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – May 14th, 2024 – The Turks and Caicos Islands Government and Molo Hotel Group reached a pivotal juncture on Monday, May 13th, 2024, with the ceremonial signing of a development agreement at the Premier’s Office on Providenciales. The agreement, which received official Cabinet approval on March 13th, 2024, signifies a steadfast commitment to advancing the economic landscape of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Molo Hotel Group is a family-owned business, renowned for its distinguished portfolio of high-quality hotels worldwide. The
development initiative encompasses the construction of three distinct IHG branded hotels: InterContinental Turks and Caicos, Kimpton Turks and Caicos and Hotel Indigo Turks and Caicos. Scheduled for completion by 2027, each resort boasts a distinctive design from luxury to laidback sophistication spanning across the shores of Grace Bay Beach.
Kimpton Turks and Caicos – an epitome of luxury lifestyle living, will feature 192 guest rooms including three outdoor pools, a luxury spa and a fitness center. Additionally, seven dining options ranging from a beachfront restaurant to a rooftop bar.
Adjacent to the Kimpton, InterContinental Turks and Caicos will offer 59 classic luxury suites with panoramic ocean views. Mirroring its counterpart, this resort will offer an array of dining options and upscale facilities.
Steps away from the Intercontinental and Kimpton resorts, Hotel Indigo Turks and Caicos will embrace a sense of community and contemporary elegance, offering 56 bedrooms. The resort will feature an onsite restaurant, lobby bar, outdoor pool, and fitness room.
Beyond the realm of hospitality, this development agreement underscores the government’s commitment to fostering economic growth and enhancing employment opportunities in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Molo is partnering with the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College (TCICC) to actively promote hospitality as a career choice and support in developing training programs, career fairs, seminars, workshops, and events to raise awareness about hospitality careers. Molo has committed to provide employment and apprentice opportunities to TCICC students and provide mentoring and practical on property training to students.
The signing event was graced by Hon. Charles Washington Missick, Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands, Hon. Jamell Robinson, Deputy Premier, Hon. Kyle Knowles, Minister of Public Safety and Utilities, Hon. Rachel Taylor, Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture, Łukasz and Marcin Slominski, Owners of Molo, Ross Morrow, Managing Director Molo, Arik Kono, Vice President Upscale Development for IHG, Dr. Candice Williams, President and CEO of the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College, Angela Musgrove, InvestTCI CEO, Dr. Barbara Ambrister, Chairperson of the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College, Dr. Delores Stapleton- Harris, Vice President of Academic, Vocational and Student Affairs for the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College, Mr. Kevin Baxter, Dean of Technical Vocational Education Training (TVET) and Sheryl McLaughlin, InvestTCI Investment Services Executive.
Commenting on the development agreement, Premier, Hon. Misick, stated “The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing of
IHG/Molo Hotels is a significant step towards a sustainable future for hospitality in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Three hotels, Kimpton, Intercontinental, and Hotel Indigo, will be introduced, enhancing our tourism product and creating employment opportunities.”
He further added, “Partnerships with the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College and Turks and Caicos Islands Sports Commission are underway, demonstrating the Government’s commitment to developing human capital and elevating tourism offerings. This project will bring economic growth, embrace local talent, and enrich our economy.”
Additionally, Mrs. Angela Musgrove, CEO of Invest Turks and Caicos Islands, emphasized “This collaboration confirms our commitment to fostering economic growth and prosperity within our country. We have worked closely with Molo Hotel Group, and we are confident that this transformative project will further position the Turks and Caicos Islands as a premier destination for travel and investment. Much to our delight, it will also provide opportunities for engagement with our Community College and small business community.”
The Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands, operating through its primary Investment Promotion
Agency, Invest Turks and Caicos Islands, remains committed to attracting and facilitating Foreign Direct Investments to the country by providing a comprehensive suite of services. Through strategic initiatives and targeted promotion, the agency catalyzes sustainable development, driving innovation and small business opportunities across various sectors of the economy.
#TurksandCaicos, May 13, 2024 – Detectives of the Serious Crime Unit of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force have
charged a man who allegedly stole a vehicle.
The accused, DANVANTE BRISCO, 30, of Kew Town, Providenciales, was charged with:
- One Count: Robbery
- One Count: Taking Motor Vehicle Without Authority
- One Count: Using Offensive Weapon to cause fear
Mr. BRISCO appeared in court today (May 13 ) and was granted bail of $7500.00 with one surety.
The matter was adjourned to July 05 for a Sufficiency Hearing.
#TurksandCaicos, May 13, 2024 – A 20-year-old Dock Yard male appeared in court today (May 13th) charged with a series of firearm-related offences.
The accused, JAMES SIMON, was denied bail and remanded into custody pending a Sufficiency Hearing scheduled for July 05th, 2024.
Mr. SIMON faces the following charges:
- One Count: Robbery;
- One Count: Gang Membership
- One Count: Possession of a Firearm for the Benefit of a Gang
- One Count: Possession of Ammunition for the Benefit of a Gang.
The charges against Mr. Simon followed investigations by officers of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force into a robbery at the parking lot of a Casino where three males robbed a victim.
Additionally, Mr. Simon is charged with the following offences, having been arrested on May 02nd, 2024, along South Dock Road.
- One Count: Possession of a Firearm
- One Count: Possession of Ammunition
- One Count: Unlawful Entry
Officers also charged a teenage minor who was in the company of Mr. Simon on May 02nd with One Count of UNLAWFUL ENTRY.
The accused, seventeen and from Kew Town, Providenciales, pleaded guilty and will be sentenced on May 20th.
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