Burglaries an ongoing concern

So far this year, there have been 78 burglaries in the Cayman Islands – 10 more than reported during the same period last year. 

The rise in burglaries, a crime that police say is an ongoing problem, prompted the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service to warn the public about burglaries in their area and to advise them on prevention methods. 

“Most burglars are opportunists. They look for an easy way to get in, that won’t take long or arouse suspicion,” said Kurt Walton, acting chief superintendent. “Burglary on a whole is an opportunistic crime. A burglar will select his target because it offers him the best opportunity to carry out his crime undetected and with the fewest number of obstacles in his way. 

”Don’t make it easy on a burglar by leaving your door or windows unlocked, especially if you are in a hurry or distracted.” 

Last year, 421 burglaries were reported in Cayman, compared to 474 in 2011.  

Mr. Walton, who held a media briefing Wednesday to give an update on the burglary situation, said police had arrested 31 suspects since the start of the year. Among those was a burglar who broke into a home while the female occupant was sleeping at Foster Bay Villas on Raleigh Quay. The victim bit the burglar when he put his hand over her mouth. He was subsequently arrested and convicted of aggravated burglary. 

Burglars are more likely to target premises that look unoccupied or unsecured, Mr. Walton said, adding that police had recently been working with property managers in the eastern districts of Grand Cayman, where there are many homes only occupied at certain times of year because owners live abroad. 

He described a recent situation where a property manager had spotted someone acting suspiciously around a home, which led to the arrest and charging of a suspect and the recovery of five televisions in the back seat of his car. 

Mr. Walton, who will be promoted to chief superintendent on 1 April, replacing John Jones, described some of the methods used by burglars to break into homes or to determine if the occupants are at home. These include people knocking on doors and asking, for example, if a certain person is at home. When told no one of that name lives in the house, the person leaves. This allows the would-be burglar to determine if anyone is home. 

In daytime burglaries, the burglars conceal themselves among thick shrubs or hedges around homes and smash windows and then unlock the window to gain entry or use crowbars or other instruments to pry open back doors. At nighttime, burglars use screwdrivers or other tools to quietly prise open windows or doors. 

Advising homeowners on what to do if confronted by a burglar, Mr. Walton said: “Burglars are usually in a hurry to escape and more than often they will quickly make a U-turn and quickly flee the scene, that’s what we’ve seen here in the Cayman Islands. We do not advise occupants to tackle burglars, but rather contact 911.” 

Another method involves a burglar checking doors in large properties with several condos or apartments to try to find an unlocked one. He urged home owners to alert police if they see anyone checking or knocking on several doors in a complex. 

Of the 31 suspects arrested and charged this year, several have burglary rap sheets and are known to police and many of the burglars police encounter are drug addicts who steal items like TVs, laptops and jewellery to sell to feed drug habits.  

“We are constantly reviewing our intelligence systems for any clues in who is causing us the most grief when it comes to burglaries,” Mr. Walton said. 

Police have also recovered stolen goods from secondhand dealers and pawnshops, although Mr. Walton said no pawn shop or secondhand store owner or staff members had been charged with handling stolen goods.  

Police are also collaborating with customs and airport security to check if stolen goods are being taken off island. Police provide lists and descriptions of stolen property, so customs officers can check containers, as there has been evidence that stolen items are being shipped overseas in containers, and airport staff can identify specific items, like jewellery, that a traveller may try to take off island in luggage.