by Kevon Browne
St. Kitts and Nevis (WINN): “At this time of year, we normally see [an] uptake in criminal activity because it’s Christmas and it is Carnival and people [are] looking for [money] to go out and party,” said Commissioner of Police, Hilroy Brandy.
The Commissioner responded to a question about the likelihood of criminal activity increases due to the lifting of the nationwide curfew.
During the last few months, when the curfew was in effect, a section of the police force was dedicated to patrolling the curfew hours, ensuring that citizens and residents were complying.
However, even with the lifting of the curfew, the Commissioner foresees the force experiencing added strain.
“The lifting of the curfew [has put more demands] on the police because during [different periods of time everyone] was on lockdown but now [everyone is free, so they can roam the streets] at any time they want. So we will have to be at the top of our game and have a high visibility to prevent crime, to prevent accidents and to keep our residents safe, especially at this busy time which is Christmas and Carnival.”
The holiday season is one of the most active seasons for criminal activity; the Commissioner said that The Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force is up to the challenge.
“We are up to it, and we have our plan, which I would outline to you at this time, but we will execute our plan to minimise the amount of break-ins, larcenies and robberies that are likely to take place on our street.”
The crime statistics for 2020 showed that there were 189 break-ins, 304 larcenies, and 23 robberies in the Federation. Although the commissioner was unable to provide a figure, he reported that robberies were at the lowest in 2021 compared to the past three years.
