Dana Malcolm  

Staff Writer  

#TurksandCaicos, March 27, 2023 – Following the announcement that several women had been robbed and assaulted in Blue Hills in the past weeks, Magnetic Media queried why the Police would wait until they had a man in custody to release an alert. 

TCI’s newest addition to the top brass Detective Superintendent Dean Holden, Head of Crime, Safeguarding and Public Protection, told us that it initially appeared to be an isolated offence and not part of a series of incidents. 

“The full circumstances needed to be investigated to ascertain the facts before a public alert could be considered. Misinformation in such a case would only cause unnecessary public concern and confusion and could adversely impact the investigation and the safeguarding of persons involved—” he said. “Even now there is no definitive information that these offences are linked, and investigators remain open-minded.”  

Holden claimed an early alert with limited information could have hindered the investigation and they were trying to protect the women who may not have wanted to be identified based on where they lived.  

As it turns out, the public concern was very much warranted, because there have been more violent sexual attacks, and more victims got hurt, forcing their hands.  

“When further similar offences were committed, the overriding principle of sustained public protection was considered, hence the alert/release issued,” he said. 

That alert was coupled with the news that a man had been arrested. Whether those further similar incidents could have been prevented if the public was informed earlier and taken extra precautions, is the underlying question. To date, we don’t know how many victims there are. 

Police have increased patrols in the Blue Hills area and condemned the crimes as unacceptable. They have not indicated if anyone was charged for the offences yet.  

#TurksandCaicos, March 23, 2023 – One male remains in police custody,  having been detained this morning in connection with reports of sexual assault and robberies in the Blue Hills, Providenciales district.

Head of Crime, Safeguarding and Public Protection Superintendent Dean Holden in confirming the arrest said: “Investigators remain open minded about this individual’s full involvement and local communities should remain vigilant and consider their personal safety and the security of their properties.

“In recent weeks, there have been a small number of offences in the Blue Hills area involving burglaries occurring within  the early morning hours, during which the offenders have sexually assaulted female occupants.

“Whilst these sorts of offences are rare, such crimes are unacceptable and the RTCIPF have implemented a robust response. We have a dedicated investigative team with specially trained officers who are supporting the victims. Additionally, we have increased uniform patrols in the Blue Hills district to provide reassurance and a visible deterrent.”

Despite this, Supt. Holden said, members of the community are advised to remain vigilant for any suspicious activity.

The public is being asked to notify the closest police station or to contact Crime Stoppers and give any information regarding the robberies and assaults,  or  any illegal activity anonymously.

Please note, that Crime Stoppers calls are answered in Miami and in Houston by Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers which is a non-profit and not a police agency.

The calls are anonymous and cannot be traced in the United States or the TCI.

Dana Malcolm  

Staff Writer  

#TheBahamas, March 17, 2023 – The FBI is investigating a woman’s ‘suspicious’ death on a Carnival Cruise ship in February.  The unnamed woman and her husband boarded the Carnival Sunshine on February 27th, for a trip to the Bahamas, but she was dead before they arrived in the port in The Bahamas.

The FBI said Carnival’s team had administered life saving measures when the woman was reported unresponsive, but they were unsuccessful.  The body and the woman’s husband were released to the Bahamian authorities when the cruise arrived in the country.  

In a statement shared with US media houses, Carnival Cruises claimed the death has been a natural one.  The Nassau Guardian said a source told them the police findings had concurred with that assessment saying it was a “normal sudden death of a tourist who wasn’t feeling well.” 

The FBI was waiting for the cruise and when it got back to South Carolina on March 4th, they immediately boarded and began to investigate the room based on ‘evidence of a crime.’  The FBI also searched the couple’s car.   

No updates have been shared to contradict the currently established cause of death.