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Crime

Police Visibility & Operations heightened; 163 vehicles stopped and 24 people detained

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#TurksandCaicos, November 23, 2022 – Commissioner of Police Trevor Botting said, ‘As a result of our operations, some delays were experienced within our community and I thank them for their patience. Visible Operations will continue, so too other covert policing as we continue to track down criminal targets.

“You would have also have seen our Community Policing Team being very active over the last week, working with our young people within schools, at sporting events and career fairs. Both the operations aspect of targeting criminality and our engagement with our communities will continue. I thank the public for their continued support towards my hard working officers.’

The statement accompanies a Royal TCI Police report, which informed that a large multi-agency policing operation was carried out by TCI Law Enforcement agencies at a numerous across Providenciales on Monday 21st November.

Thirty-eight officers, comprising the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force, Royal Bahamas Police Force, working alongside Immigration Enforcement and Road Safety Officers carried out road checks.

The operation resulted in 163 vehicles being stopped, seven vehicles were seized and towed and 34 tickets issued for various offences. Twenty-four persons were detained under the Immigration Ordinance and transported to the Immigration Detention Centre.

Crime

Two Individuals Charged with Separate Assault Offences

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Turks and Caicos, June 28, 2025 – The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RT&CIPF) has formally charged two individuals in connection with separate incidents of violence reported in Providenciales.

ZEKE HAMILTON, a 24-year-old resident of Blue Hills, has been charged with two counts of Assault Occasioning Actual Bodily Harm, contrary to Section 27 of the Offences Against the Person Act, Chapter 3.08.

The charge stems from an incident that occurred on June 5, 2025, in which Mr. Hamilton is alleged to have assaulted a female and her 18-month-old daughter.

The accused was charged on June 7 and granted $ 2,500 with one surety. He is expected to appear before a Magistrate on June 30.

In a separate matter, ANDREINA POLO, a 34-year-old resident of Five Cays, has been charged with Wounding with Intent, contrary to Section 10 of the Offences Against the Person Act, Chapter 3.08.

The offence allegedly occurred on December 25, 2024, around 8:00 p.m., when Ms. Polo allegedly wounded a female. The accused was charged on June 24, 2025, following an investigation and was granted $3,000 bail with surety.

Ms. Polo is scheduled to appear before a Magistrate on July 14.

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Crime

Unlawful Entry Charge

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Turks and Caicos, June 28, 2025 – The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RTCIPF) has charged FEDELENS GERNIER, a 26-year-old Haitian national, with Unlawful Entry into the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Mr. GERNIER, who resides in Dock Yard, was stopped and searched by officers attached to the Tactical Unit during a routine operation.

A review of his mobile phone revealed images of concern, prompting officers to take him into custody on SUSPICION OF GANG AFFILIATION.

Subsequent investigations confirmed that Mr. GERNIER had no legal status to be in the country.

The accused remains in custody and will appear in court on the next available date.

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Crime

Community Reeling After Security Guard Executed During Supermarket Robbery

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Deandrea Hamilton | Editor

Blue Hills, Turks and Caicos — June 26, 2025 – The Turks and Caicos community is in mourning following the brutal killing of a security guard during a robbery at GK Food Store in Blue Hills, a crime police are now investigating as a deliberate assassination.

The victim has been identified as 42-year-old Mervin Mattelles Joseph, a long-serving officer with Spencer Security & Investigation Services Ltd., and a devoted husband and father of two young boys.  According to eyewitnesses and disturbing crime scene video, Joseph was shot multiple times, even as he attempted to flee.  His lifeless body was later found face-down near the store entrance, sparking renewed outrage over the vulnerability of frontline security personnel in the territory.                                                                                                                                                                            “This was more than just a robbery — this was an execution,” said a spokesperson for Spencer Security in an emotional statement.  “Mervin was targeted and gunned down while trying to protect others.  He gave his life in service and deserved better.”                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              The robbery occurred around 5:29 p.m. on June 25, when three masked, armed men stormed the busy community grocery store.  After fatally shooting Joseph, the assailants proceeded to rob the business and fled on foot.  Despite a swift response and active dragnet by the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force, the suspects remain at large.

In a rare public appeal, the police have urged anyone with CCTV footage or information—no matter how small—to come forward.  “We need the public’s help,” said a police spokesperson.  “Justice for Mr. Joseph and his family depends on it.”

The senseless killing has sent shockwaves through the community and reignited calls for better protections for security officers.  “He couldn’t even identify them — they didn’t have to kill him,” said one eyewitness.  “He was doing his job.”

As the investigation continues, Mervin Joseph is remembered not only as a guard, but as a protector, a father, and a man who paid the ultimate price for his commitment to safeguarding others.  The community now awaits justice for a loss that is as profound as it is heartbreaking.

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