Assistant Commissioner of Police Vaughn Henderson; Prime Minister and Minister of National Security Dr. Timothy Harris.
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, Monday September 14, 2015 – Although homicides remain a major concern, police are reporting a 29 per cent drop in serious crime this year compared to the same period last year.
In his report on the crime situation, Assistant Commissioner of Police Vaughn Henderson said the recently introduced six-point plan of action to reduce homicides and violent crimes in the twin-island federation is working and “police have stepped up their efforts to combat not only crime but the fear of crime in St. Kitts and Nevis”.
The assistant commissioner reported that from January to August, 2014, there were 796 crimes compared to 561 crimes for the same period this year, which accounts for a 29.5 per cent decrease.
“Based on the statistics as they have been provided to me, the police are not falling short on their objectives, which is to stay below the 24 homicides that occurred last year,” said Henderson, stressing that he took no comfort in the 21 murders already committed for the year. “Our philosophy is one homicide is one too many.”
“I am extremely optimistic as the statistics for 2013 show that in the first half of 2013 there were 18 homicides and at the end of that year the total count was 21. It says to me that we can do it again with the dedication and commitment from our security forces and 100 per cent support from the community,” he added.
According to the assistant commissioner, since the introduction of the six-point action plan, there had only been three murders.
“This is a clear 66 per cent declining rate in homicides for the second half of this year to date,” he said.
Henderson gave credit to the joint operations of the Police, the St. Kitts and Nevis Defence Force and Customs for “stepping up on the efforts in an aggressive way to suppress violent crimes and gang activities” since the introduction of the crime plan.
But just one day after the Assistant Commissioner with responsibility for Operations, Vaughan Henderson, was high in praise of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force’s Six-Point Action Plan in the fight against crime, some 50 students of a popular university on St. Kitts were robbed by a group of armed bandits.
Speaking with SKNVibes, one of the victims said the incident occurred at approximately 7:00 last evening (Sept. 11) at the St. Johnson Community Center.
“Last night, at about seven o’clock, while we of the Christian Fellowship of the (name provided) were having a seminar at the St. Johnson Community Center, I personally saw two masked men entered the building and pointed a gun at us.
“They told all of us to lie down and bring out all of our phones, laptops, iPads and everything.
Shortly after, the two men were joined by four others, including one woman, and they took many things from us.”
The student said the incident occurred while they were in the middle of the seminar and that the six bandits robbed most of the 50 medical students of their laptops, iPads, iPhones, Samsung phones, identification cards, drivers’ licences, ATM cards and many other personal items.
“We got the police involved but they came late, about 20 minutes thereabout. The robbers had already gone and members of the Crime Scene secured the place and took statements from us,” the student said.
When contacted, Police Press and Public Relations Officer Inspector Lyndon David confirmed that the incident did occur and noted that it was under investigation.