Thieves steal possessions of cruise-ship tourists at Fort James, while two locals are robbed of documents and cash

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REAL NEWS: Cruise ship passengers were among a number of persons who fell victim to larceny, and the Police are now investigating these incidents.

According to reports, a German couple, aged 54 and 55 years, respectively, arrived in Antigua aboard the AIDA Pearla and decided to visit Fort James.

They left their bag – containing an iPhone, a Samsung cell phone, a pair of Apple ear pods, two cruise tickets, and a small amount of US dollars and Euros – on the beach while they went swimming.

When they returned from their swim they realized the bag was missing, and they informed an on-duty lifeguard, who, in turn, made a report to the Police.

The incident occurred between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Meanwhile, a 49-year-old Urlings woman reportedly had her handbag snatched by a young man early one morning last week.

The victim reports that she was sitting on the wall at the AIDS Secretariat on Long Street, and searching through her handbag, when the perpetrator grabbed it and fled.

The bag is said to have contained her Antigua and Barbuda passport; birth certificate; Social Security, Medical Benefits and Voter ID cards; and a Samsung A53 cell phone.

Also in the bag were US$200, EC$130, and the keys to her workplace locker.

The perpetrator is described as tall, slim, and light in complexion, and wearing braids whose ends are bleached gold.  Reportedly he was wearing denim shorts and a blue long-sleeved hooded shirt.

Police carried out a search of the area, but no one fitting that description was found.

In an unrelated story, a 62-year-old Barnes Hill man had his knapsack stolen by police impersonators.

Reportedly, he had been riding a pedal cycle, from west to east, on the Old Parham Road, when two unknown men in a silver Toyota Vitz pulled him over, near Hadeed Motors, shouting “Police! Police!”

They then searched the man and took his black knapsack – containing a bicycle pump and patch; a Digicel cell phone; an expired Jamaican passport; and $350 in cash – before making their escape.

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15 COMMENTS

  1. Cameras and on duty plain clothes and uniformed police are needed on the beaches and island wide

    • I agree entirely @ Praying, I regularly travel to nearby-ish Barbados, and you see the police walking up and down the streets and beaches all the time.

      Our Prime Minister re-directs funding in the wrong area, or worse, not at all.

      • How the police use it funding is not for the PM to decide. You like to blame the PM for everything. Even if a dog barks. But that is you. Hatred for the man will bring you nowhere. get used to it. He will be there for another term and thereafter until he feels to retire.

        • Hate is a very emotive word @ From TheSideline (Brixtonian only deals with facts not emotion – it’s a total waste of energy boss), I really don’t hate your good friend and mentor Gaston “Emperor” Browne.

          I don’t know how many times that I have to say that I supported the ABLP in 2014, until he broke so many pledges and particularly the manifesto promises.

          HE WON’T GET MY VOTE THIS TIME, AND LIKE MANY PATRIOTIC ANTIGUANS I LEARNED THE HARD WAY; ECONOMICALLY.

          I’m a patriot, and all I want the Prime Minister to do is to keep his promises for the citizens (see my 14 points breakdown of Gaston going missing in action in my response to Fitzroy’s last editorial letter – even you will agree with 99.9% of my breakdown) of my beloved Antigua.

          You seem to enjoy the company of liars, but I do not @From The Sideline.

          Remember, Brixtonian only wants the best governance for Antigua & Barbuda 🇦🇬

        • @From The Sideline…
          …#TERM
          …#LIMITS
          …#MATTERS

          The Constitution must be amended to introduce Term Limits for the Members of Parliament, in both the Lower and Upper Houses.

          Term limits will allow for fluidity within the public sector for much better management and accountability, as it curtails the CORRUPTION which stands out like a white rhino on the corner of High & Market Streets, yet, is invisible to most passing by it.

          The reason why the oil in machinery’s such as vehicles and other engines are changed regularly is in order, to keep the moving parts from wearing to fast and cause unnecessary repairs. Government systems such as the Parliament must operate on the same premise, as in fresh ideas go hand in glove with being innovative and creative.

          As far as theft and other crimes go, especially on the beaches, that’s an easy fix with today’s technology.
          #Creativity with #Innovation NATTERS!

          Jumbee_Picknee aka Ras Smood
          De ‘ole dutty Peg_Foot…Vere C. Edwards

      • The reason why you see the police patrolling that much in Barbados is because they have gone through the worst. Tourists are not as safe in Barbados as they are in Antigua and Barbuda. And don’t even mention Barbados or Trinidad. The beaches where tourists come are not accessible to the locals. Barbados you have public beaches and hotel private beaches. That is why tourists are encouraged to stay in front of the hotels and enjoy the beach under the protection of the security guards from the hotel.

        • You’ve obviously never been to Barbados @ From The Sideline, stop making up false stories as you do, especially when mentioning Gaston and the ABLP looking out for the country. Tarl!

  2. We need to protect our tourism product. We cannot let thieves and robbers scare our tourists away after we have done so much hard work and spent so much money to get them here. We need to have on all beaches Special Tourism Officers that monitor and watch over our guests.

  3. Thieves are walking about the place even in broad daylight because they don’t have jobs. Our visitors should be advised to look after their possessions. They can’t be leaving their bags on the beach unattended. When I go to the beach, I take as little as possible and hide my possessions in my car parked where I can keep an eye on it. Thieves are in every country, please protect your possessions. Have one individual stay back to watch your bags.

  4. Based on the story above. In my opinion,they were careless to leave their possessions on the open Beach. Antigua is relatively a safe place. However,you cannot and should not leave things exposed for others to see. It would be gone in a matter of a blinking of an eye.

  5. @Bugsy…careless is harsh One tends to become complacent when on vacation…and it is quite possible that they felt safe.
    So many times I see women in the grocery walk away from their shopping cart….looking away down the aisle, and leave their handbag in the cart…takes three seconds to grab and disappear!
    These tourists throw a towel over their stuff and truly believe that’s enough. We need beach patrols when cruise ships are in.. BUT the $$$ will not come from the ‘cirrcus master’ eh!

    • I can concur to that behavior. I found myself one time in Epicurean going for something in another isle that I had already passed and left my bag with all my money in it in the cart. And when I travel, I always have to remind myself not to be that careless. A tourist the other day came and collected his cellphone from the shelf right where I was standing. He had forgotten it. And one day it was raining so bad, and I was hustling to get in my car and go home and forgot my bag with my wallet in the cart. When I reached home is when I realized my bag was not with me. Someone found it and took it to customer service. Everything was still in it. Antigua does have crime but in relation to the other Islands we are pretty safe.

    • WaveRider: A Antigua me come fram,A right dey me come fram. When me come a Antigua and me go a Beach.Nutten is left for anyone foo see.ME Rental Car parked where me can see um.All me personal belongings inna dee trunk lack up.So me no see why you say,me harsh foo use dee word,CARELESS. Me hope you overstand me dialect.

  6. I’m Antiguan who moved back home to my beautiful homeland.
    I was robbed at the beach at Coco’s sitting next to tourists with my beach bag right next to me. A guy darted out of the bushes and grabbed my tot and disappeared before I could even yell thief. (lucky for me he only got my lunch) I know better than to have anything of value in a bag at any beach in Antigua.
    My home was broken into and anything of value was stolen. They ate my food, drank my juice and robbed me all in a 2hr window while I went to dinner. They were watching me, waiting for me to leave.
    Antigua is no longer a safe place.
    As a senior I ‘m uncomfortable walking in town for many reasons. Roads are a disgrace, dangerous to drive and most of the people in high places are corrupt. They will rob you blind without you knowing they’re doing it.
    Time to rethink my move …..
    Watch your back and belongings, tourist
    and fellow Antiguans.

  7. We have been calling Antigua our second home for over 15 years. But, with all these crimes of robbing, break-Ins, gun shootings, stick-ups….We won’t be coming back! It’s bad enough everywhere…Don’t the locales realize this will kill the tourists from coming?!?! How can we relax on the beach if we have to guard our possessions instead of enjoying our vacation of six weeks, 3X a year anymore?

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