Crime
POLICE OPERATION UNDER SCRUTINY AFTER SUSPECT ESCAPES FROM CUSTODY
Wilkie Arthur
Eagle Legal News
Sunday, October 6th, 2024 | Turks and Caicos Islands – More than a week after a suspect escaped police custody in handcuffs, no wanted poster has been issued for the individual involved in the burglary at businessman Jason Francis’s premises on Airport Road, Providenciales, on Monday, September 30th, 2024.
Eagle Legal News conducted an in-depth investigation to uncover the full details of the burglary, which occurred in the early morning hours. It is believed that three, possibly four, suspects entered the restaurant and bar through a rooftop, gaining access to the business with the intent to steal.
While all the culprits initially fled, one was apprehended shortly after, not far from the scene. According to police sources, despite surrounding the building and issuing loud verbal commands, two of the suspects remain at large.
When 911 was called and police arrived, one of the suspects was seen fleeing through the front door. Officers spotted another individual
inside the building, and after refusing to comply with verbal commands, he was arrested.
This suspect, whose name has not been released, was placed in handcuffs and secured in the back of a police jeep, specifically in an area known as “the dog house.”
Meanwhile, another police unit spotted a man acting suspiciously near the post office.
As officers approached, the individual fled, jumping over the post office fence. After a brief chase, police found 25-year-old Ruben Samuels, a Bahamian with family ties to the Turks and Caicos Islands, hiding in a dumpster near Homies Restaurant. Samuels was arrested and subsequently hospitalized under police guard. He was later airlifted to Jamaica for further medical treatment, though it remains unclear whether his condition was related to the arrest.
In a surprising turn of events, the first suspect, who had been handcuffed and secured in the police jeep, managed to escape.
It is believed that he climbed from the back of the vehicle into the passenger seats and then exited the front, as the back doors of the jeep do not typically open from the inside. The suspect fled into the nearby bushes, leaving behind his slippers, mask, backpack, and other personal items, raising suspicions that a fourth accomplice may have been aiding him from outside.
Since news of the escape spread via WhatsApp, the public, including business owner Jason Francis, has expressed concern over the police’s handling of the situation.
To date, no wanted poster or public notice has been issued regarding the escaped suspect, leaving many questioning the response to the incident.
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – In response to a deadly surge in gun violence, Police Commissioner Fitz Bailey on
Monday morning formally briefed the Honourable Premier Charles Washington Misick and Her Excellency Acting Governor Anya Williams on two recent murders and the broader security crisis engulfing the Turks and Caicos Islands.
The high-level debrief followed a harrowing week which reports indicate brought the murder count for 2025 to 15 people, including what was described as mass shooting where as many as four men were struck with bullets. The Commissioner provided an update on the nature of the week of homicides, the current status of investigations, and the coordinated response measures being implemented by the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RTCIPF).
Both the Premier and Acting Governor pledged full support to the Commissioner and the RTCIPF, as the country grapples with a level of violence that has deeply shaken residents and visitors alike.
“The Government remains deeply committed to strengthening public safety and enhancing the resources available to law enforcement,” read a statement issued following the briefing.
As part of this commitment, 40 specially trained officers from across the region have recently completed orientation with the RTCIPF and
are now operational. These reinforcements are expected to support ongoing investigations and bolster the national policing strategy.
Among the recent incidents:
- A young man was shot and killed in Five Cays on Saturday (May 24) afternoon. Police reported receiving a call around 2:58 p.m. about gunfire near a local religious institution. Officers arrived to find a male victim lying motionless with apparent gunshot wounds. His death is being treated as a suspected homicide.
- One of four men shot earlier in the week in Kew Town succumbed to his injuries, raising the death toll from that mass shooting.
As investigations continue, the RTCIPF is urgently appealing to the public for any information that might assist. Witnesses or anyone with
relevant knowledge are encouraged to report to the nearest police station, dial 911, contact the Serious Crime Unit at 231-1842, or anonymously call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-8477.
Commissioner Bailey, who was confirmed as the Turks and Caicos Police Commissioner in a ceremony on Friday April 25, has vowed that the RTCIPF will not relent in its pursuit of justice and community safety. Public concern has been growing as the scale and brazenness of violent incidents increase. Community leaders and residents are demanding a stronger and more visible police presence in hotspots, as well as urgent interventions to address the root causes of gun violence.
The police force has pledged to issue further updates on investigations and arrests in the coming days.
Photo Captions:
1st insert: ROBERTO YACINTHE, age 33 was shot on Saturday (May 25) in the Blue Hills community. He was an employee of the Alexandra Resort.
2nd insert: Crime scene in Five Cays
3rd insert: Flex Baptiste, 32 died on Friday. He was shot on Wednesday.
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