PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – The detectives of the Special Unite Robberies (S.U.R.) have been kept busy investigating a spree of robberies that have been reported over the past couple of weeks . During each robbery reported, the unknown perpetrator(s)entered the establishment dressed in dark-colored clothing, brandishing a weapon and demanding their daily earnings.
There were two of said robberies that took place on the evening of Friday, December 4, 2021. At approximately 7:15 pm Central Dispatch received an initial call about a robbery at a supermarket in Dutch Quarter.
Several police patrols were dispatched to the scene of the incident. Subsequently, it was revealed that three reasonable young men dressed up in dark clothing entered the supermarket and at gunpoint robbed it of its earnings.
Having committed the robbery, the three suspects ran off in an unknown direction. Patrol conducted a search in the area but the suspects were not found.
Roughly 20 minutes later, Central Dispatch received another call of an ongoing robbery at a supermarket in St. Peters area. Judging by the descriptions obtained, it appeared to be the same three suspects who previously robbed the supermarket in Dutch Quarter.
Seeing the uptick, the police of St. Maarten finds it imperative to educate the public as well as the business owners in an effort to minimize the risk of being targeted by these criminals.
The best way to “deal with” with armed robberies is to prevent them. Understand that robbers commit crimes because they believe that the payoff outweighs any risk.
Robberies usually take place when there’s a lack of planning for emergency situations and when poor cash handling is involved. Without the right security measures, many businesses unknowingly make criminal situations convenient for robbers. The police will continue to do our part and we will continue to ask the community to assist. Only by working as a unit can we stop the individuals who go into the community looking for an easy payout by committing a robbery. Prevention is always better than finding a cure.
To help you do that, the Sint Maarten Force Communication department has put together some tips that can help your business from becoming a victim of robbery and also how to deal with them in the event a robbery does occur.
