Crime

Crime climbing, Budget support increasing while Police Commissioner seems in denial

Published

3 years ago

June 15, 2022

Deandrea Hamilton

By Deandrea Hamilton &Dana Malcolm

Editorial Staff

#TurksandCaicos, June 15, 2022 – Despite a double-digit increase of 10 percent in overall crime and a 13 percent spike in serious crimes, Royal TCI Police Commissioner Trevor Botting maintains the rhetoric that the police have got crime “under control.”

The crime statistics for 2021-2022 were released on Monday; they measure the number of incidents recorded between April 2021 to March 2022; running concurrently with the country’s fiscal year. It is a departure from previous years which counted crime and arrests over a calendar year. This methodology was announced in 2021 as the new standard for the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police.

The increase in incredibly violent crimes against residents and visitors is especially concerning at a time when the Turks and Caicos is experiencing exponential growth, with investors listing it as one of the most desirable places in the region for investments. Real Estate and Tourism have recorded banner years in terms of arrivals and revenue, which has pushed government income to $391 million.

The police budget for the year 2022-2023 is $ 32.5 million, nearly half of the $ 67.3 million allocated for public order and safety. The figure shared during the May 2022 Budget communication is an impressive $3 million higher than the 2021-2022 allocation; then at $29.4 million.

Botting’s rationale for stating the police have crime under control is linked to significant arrests he said. Royal TCI Police have caught suspects who drove up the crime rate early in quarter four of this past year (January and February.)

In this January/February 2022 period, a spate of violent crimes was carried out against locals and tourists alike including shootings, a chopping, armed home or villa invasions, armed carjackings, parking lot and beach ambushes and store robberies.

In some cases people were shot at; at least a tourist and a little girl were hit by bullet. Both, thankfully survived.

“Whilst overall crime and the number of serious crimes have risen by 10 percent and 13 percent respectively, the Turks and Caicos suffered a very significant surge in crime during January and February 2022. This surge accounted for 68 additional serious crimes when compared to the year before and in relation to overall crime, the same two months saw an additional 121 crimes when compared with January and February 2021.

We believe these additional crimes were carried out by a very small number of prolific offenders, offenders which are no longer active,” said Commissioner Botting.

Overall there were 1,738 crimes committed in the Turks and Caicos during the April 2021 to March 2022 period which is 157 more crimes than the 1,581 committed in the previous 12 months April 2020 to March 2021, causing the 10 percent increase.

For context, without the ‘68 additional serious crimes’ perpetrated during the January/February 2022 spike, there would have been a total of 1670 crimes in the 12-month period, an increase of 5 percent over the previous period regardless.

Additionally, the Police Commissioner did not give any details on the operations connected to these ‘prolific offenders’ and he did not say what he meant by them being no longer active.

Commissioner Botting did provide reasonably detailed statistics.

There were a total of 355 serious crimes, 42 more than the 313 recorded in the 12-month period before accounting for the 13 percent increase. This also puts the number of serious crimes 12 percent higher than the 5-year average of 315.

The number of burglaries held firm with the same 286 as the period before. There was a rise in aggravated burglaries with 19 more offenses than the year before, a total of 53.

It is important to note that the recent spate of robberies and car thefts in late May are not included in these statistics.

Another unsurprising rise was in Firearms Offences with an additional 37 crimes compared to the same period the year before.

There was no report on the gun amnesty in March and how many, if any firearms, were recovered from that effort.

The only reductions included in the report were a one percent reduction in the number of robberies and a 20 percent reduction in the number of murders. There were 20 people killed in 2020–2021 compared to 16 in this period.

The decrease in murder at least is cause for celebration, Commissioner Botting described it as ‘very welcome’ and said the police would be continuing with targeted operations throughout the year to get the figures down. He noted that while the police work hard other issues had to be tackled if they are to be successful in their crime-fighting efforts

“Whilst policing is at the forefront of crime prevention and detection through enforcement and the Officers and staff within the Force have worked very hard to tackle the surge in crime committed by prolific and dangerous criminals, the societal issues that are the causes of crime must be tackled to see a sustained reduction in crime, especially serious crime.”

Still the sense of urgency felt by Islanders seems to be absent for the Commissioner of Police. Residents have openly stated, it is the longstanding secrecy about crimes which are happening, the ongoing negative advisory and warning about the safety of the destination which is so heavily tourism dependent by the US Department of Homeland Security, the low rate of crime detection and convictions and the high rate of individuals seemingly getting away with murder which creates the unshakable angst.

Bottom line a crime rate on the rise is simply not under control.

Related Topics:#magneticmedianews #tcicrimereport #trevorbotting

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Bermuda Shaken by Targeted Murder as Crime Returns After a Decade of Calm

Published

1 week ago

September 21, 2025

Deandrea Hamilton

Deandrea Hamilton | Editor

Bermuda is reeling after the brazen murder of 37-year-old Janae Minors, a mother of two, who was gunned down in her own beauty supply store on Court Street, Pembroke. The attack, which police describe as “targeted,” has rattled the island, not only for its brutality but for what it says about the state of law and order in a country that less than a decade ago was celebrating a dramatic fall in violent crime.

The Attack on Court Street

According to police, at approximately 4:45 p.m. on Tuesday, September 16, a lone gunman pulled up on a stolen black motorcycle, walked into the Beauty Monster shop Minors owned, and shot her multiple times. Despite the rapid response of emergency services, she succumbed to her injuries shortly after being transported to hospital.

Detectives say the killer was thin, tall, dressed in dark clothing with a full-face helmet, and wearing bright gloves. CCTV shows him fleeing north on Court Street, down Tills Hill toward TCD, before turning onto Marsh Folly Road. Investigators are pursuing all leads, with a focus on recovering evidence from nearby cameras and eyewitness accounts.

Police Commissioner Darrin Simons confirmed the attack bore the hallmarks of gang-related violence, a chilling indicator that Bermuda’s gang rivalries — long simmering beneath the surface — may once again be spilling into broad daylight.

A Vibrant Life Cut Short

Minors, remembered as a hardworking entrepreneur with “a vibrant, beautiful personality,” leaves behind two children, ages 16 and 18. Her murder has ignited outrage across Bermuda, not just for its senselessness but for its timing: the island had once prided itself on virtually stamping out gun violence.

Then: Near-Zero Murders

Back in 2014, Bermuda made international headlines for reporting zero firearm murders — a remarkable achievement given the small island had endured a spate of gang-related shootings in the early 2010s. Police credited intelligence-led operations, tighter firearms interdictions, and aggressive prosecutions of gang leaders. Community programs and mentoring initiatives also played a role, giving at-risk youth alternatives to gang life.

By 2015 and 2016, gun crime was at historic lows. That period was hailed as proof Bermuda could beat back the tide of violence with coordinated policing, social investment, and political will.

Now: Alarming Resurgence

Fast forward nine years, and the picture looks starkly different. In 2024 and 2025, Bermuda has recorded a rise in gun-related deaths. Rival gangs such as Parkside and 42 have resurged, fueled by a new generation of recruits. Economic pressures, high youth unemployment, and the easy flow of smuggled firearms through maritime routes have undermined earlier gains.

Community trust in the police has also eroded, making investigations harder and retaliations more likely. Opposition MPs and neighborhood leaders warn that without sustained focus, Bermuda risks sliding back into the violent cycles of the early 2010s.

Public Alarm and Political Pressure

Premier David Burt condemned Minors’ killing as “an escalation of community violence that cannot be tolerated,” promising stronger enforcement and deeper engagement with residents. The Bermuda Police Service has appealed for CCTV, dashcam, and doorbell footage from the area, urging residents that even the smallest detail could break the case.

Yet among the public, frustration is growing. People remember the calm of 2014 — when zero murders were recorded — and cannot understand how the island has returned to headlines dominated by gun violence. The contrast is stark: from celebrating the elimination of gun murders to confronting the targeted execution of a businesswoman in broad daylight.

A Test for Bermuda’s Future

The murder of Janae Minors has become more than a single case; it is now a symbol of Bermuda’s struggle to hold on to the progress it once made. The question facing the island is whether the successes of a decade ago can be replicated and sustained in today’s harsher climate of economic pressure and gang rivalries.

For Minors’ family, nothing can erase the tragedy of losing a mother and daughter so violently. But for Bermuda at large, her death is a wake-up call — that the island cannot afford complacency when it comes to crime.

As one community leader put it: “Nine years ago, we had beaten this. Now, we’re back to fearing what happens when the sun goes down. That is not the Bermuda we want to live in.”

Crime

Two Injured in Sunday Blue Hills Shootings

Published

1 month ago

August 29, 2025

Deandrea Hamilton

Magnetic Media & Eagle Legal News

Turks and Caicos, August 29, 2025 – A quiet Sunday afternoon in Blue Hills was shattered on August 24 when bursts of gunfire erupted along Front Street, leaving two people injured and sparking renewed fears in the community.

According to Eagle Legal News Media, residents reported hearing a barrage of bullets around 3:30 p.m., forcing people to run for cover. Videos from the crime scene later showed more than two dozen evidence markers scattered across the roadway, documenting the scale of the attack.

At least two individuals were struck by gunfire, though police sources said their injuries were not considered life-threatening. The victims were treated at Cheshire Hall Medical Centre, where emergency services were briefly disrupted as staff responded to the influx of casualties.

The spray of bullets also damaged property. A small black Japanese car had its window blown out, while a truck parked nearby bore visible bullet holes.

The shooting came on the very same day that senior police and national security officials had gathered for a special church service in Providenciales, where prayers were offered for peace and protection across the islands. Just hours later, residents of Blue Hills were ducking for cover as bullets tore through their community.

The attack also followed weeks of heightened restrictions. Though Blue Hills had only recently emerged from a community-wide curfew, neighboring Five Cays remained under emergency restrictions until August 26. Additional late-night rules — including 2 a.m. closures for businesses and a ban on after-hours alcohol sales — remain in place following the July 27 Hookah Lounge mass shooting that killed four people.

Police cordoned off Front Street during their investigation, but as of press time, no arrests had been announced.

Crime

Police Seize Rifle and Ammunition in Blue Hills, 2025 Marked by Guns and Drug Arrests

Published

1 month ago

August 22, 2025

Deandrea Hamilton

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos — August 22, 2025 – The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RT&CIPF) has recovered a high-powered rifle and more than 250 rounds of ammunition following a targeted operation in the Blue Hills community of Providenciales.

According to police, officers from the Tactical Unit and the Criminal Investigations Division acted on intelligence and searched an open area where they discovered the weapon, 255 assorted rounds, and firearm accessories. No arrests were made. The investigation is continuing.

This seizure adds to a string of police actions in 2025 against guns and narcotics.

On March 27, officers executed a warrant at a residence in Pete Court, Kew Town. Police say they discovered several bags of suspected cannabis and tablets believed to be methamphetamine. A 58-year-old woman and a 34-year-old man were arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply.

In July, the Turks and Caicos Islands Border Force intercepted two separate narcotics shipments under Operation Transit Shed. More than 26 kilograms of cannabis and other drugs, with an estimated street value of over US $260,000, were seized. The contraband had been vacuum-sealed and hidden in boxes with detergent odors to mask the smell.

Days later, the country faced its first mass shooting when gunmen opened fire at a nightclub in Providenciales. Three people were killed and ten others injured. No arrests have been reported. Police are offering a US $10,000 reward for information leading to those responsible.

Police Commissioner Fitz Bailey has urged the public to cooperate with investigations, while Premier Charles Washington Misick described the surge in gun violence as a serious threat to the nation’s security.

Residents are being encouraged to report illegal activity by calling 911, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-8477, or using the P3 app.