#BTEditorial – ’Tis the Season to be extra careful and vigilant

None of us is oblivious to the fact that crime happens daily and that criminal acts are very much a part of our society. We don’t bury our heads in the sand hoping it will just go away. We don’t believe that because many of us choose to be good, the evil element does not eat, breathe, sleep and walk among us.

That said, when these heinous criminal acts are recorded and circulated on social media for all to see, it becomes more and more apparent that there are some hell-bent on terrorising law-abiding citizens.

Within days, we have seen different videos, showing crimes committed across Barbados that have left victims – mostly females – shaken and traumatised.

A video timestamped and recorded last Friday, December 1, showed three females – two adults, one child – walking to a vehicle in a car park. While they were all focused on opening the vehicle and getting in, a man with most of his face covered emerged from behind the SUV and first attacked one of the adult females in an attempt to get her bag. The other woman rushed to her rescue and the perpetrator pushed the first woman to the ground, evaded the second woman’s attempts to stop him, and escaped with the bag. 

On Thursday, another video made rounds. It was of another daylight robbery, this time on Culloden Road, St Michael, recorded by a motorist.

Men dressed in black pounced on a woman who was making her way through a car park in the direction of a bus stop. A scuffle ensued and the robber ran off with the woman’s belongings.

As the video made the rounds, Bajans expressed their disgust and outrage at the brazen criminal act. Many were adamant that the full weight of the law should bear down on all who were involved.

By afternoon, Police Communications and Public Relations Affairs Officer Inspector Rodney Inniss reported that the cops had made a breakthrough.

He said that a 71-year-old and a 65-year-old were the victims of the robbery. They were robbed of jewellery and one victim suffered injuries to her hand, wrist and neck. Inniss said there were three perpetrators and one of those assailants was in police custody.

We applaud the Barbados Police Service for their swift action in this matter.

Last month, Commissioner of Police Richard Boyce reported that the annual Yuletide Operation was necessary because of the increased number of tourists, various social events and heightened commercial activities in several business centres.

According to a statement from the Police Service, lawmen would be paying attention “to problem locations . . . thereby making these areas safe zones for all persons to go about their business without a feeling of fear.

“There will be an increased visibility of police officers in targeted areas to act as a deterrent against acts of lawlessness and other antisocial behaviours.”

For years, the police have reported success with this annual initiative which focuses heavily on crime in the City during Christmas shopping hours. However, the net has been widened in recent years with heavy commercial activity in Warrens, Sky Mall, Lanterns, Limegrove and other areas.

The reality is that if the police are to maintain a successful Yuletide Operation, our full cooperation as citizens will be vital. We must pay more attention to our surroundings – where we park or walk; what we have in our hands at the time – and how alert we are to what is happening around us.

We must ensure that we do not put ourselves in vulnerable situations to be easy targets for criminals. We are also required to be our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers. The recording of these criminal acts will assist in ensuring offenders are held accountable.

Essentially, we must all be extra careful and vigilant to head off this current Christmas crime wave.