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Press Release From Independent Source

Businessmen held @ gunpoint on Tortola & VG- RVIPF

- urges communities to ‘be intolerant’ & report who has firearms
July 11th, 2017 | Tags: gun crime firearm Michael Matthews RVIPF Robbery
Three separate incidents reported within the last four days in the Virgin Islands have, according to the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) today, July 11, 2017, involved the use of firearms. Photo: snopes.com/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- Commissioner of Police Michael Matthews is making a special appeal to the public to provide names of persons seen with, suspected of having or importing illegal firearms into the Territory.

Matthews is engaging the community in a Territory-wide crackdown to reduce the number of firearms available for carrying out serious or violent crime.

“Stop searches in the past were successful but today, with the communication devices and networks available to tip off possible suspects, stop-searches are not as effective as they used to be. They are most effective, if persons provide information on possible suspects. We don’t need your name or address – you can be anonymous. Just tell us directly who has firearms and where they are. We don’t need to know anything else. We will take it from there. This will add value and productivity to the time we are out there,” he said.

Three recent incidents involving use of firearm

Three separate incidents reported within the last four days have involved the use of firearms. Early this morning, two masked males attempted to rob the Delta Petroleum Gas Station in Pasea Estate while on Sunday morning, a businessman reported he was held at gunpoint by two masked males in Virgin Gorda. Another businessman also reported he was held at gunpoint by a lone masked male in the Port Purcell area on Thursday evening. No injuries were reported in any of the incidents.

“The ease with which persons are able to secure firearms in this Territory is no doubt because security of our borders is difficult to police 24 hours a day. This is not unique to the Virgin Islands. Much of the Territories in the Caribbean face the same dilemma. We just need to put fear in those who dare to have a firearm or to make it very difficult for someone to keep it or carry it around. That happens in a society where there is an absolute intolerant to persons illegally holding or carrying a firearm. Therefore, report any one who is seen or who is believed to have a firearm and we will do the rest,” the Commissioner noted.

Commissioner of Police noted there is a lot of overt and covert police work going on behind the scenes into the early morning hours however that time will be more productive if there was a greater exchange of information.
Police have confiscated seven firearms and several rounds of ammunitions for the year so far.

8 Responses to “Businessmen held @ gunpoint on Tortola & VG- RVIPF”

  • ..... (11/07/2017, 18:03) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Lillte to late yall
  • My girl (11/07/2017, 22:20) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Amazing, but still he saying crime down SMH
  • LCS (12/07/2017, 06:42) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    If we want to keep the Territory safe, we all need to do our part and cooperate. There are individuals who know who is carrying firearms and how they get in. Please alert the police. It can be done anonymously. It could be you or one of yours falling victim of this proliferation of crimes being committed in the BVI. In the end, it will hurt everyone. The Police is not the enemy. Even if we think that they can do more and better, we should not turn our back to what is happening. It's the wrong attitude.
  • Terror (12/07/2017, 09:23) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    If this NDP government doesn't start looking out for the people of this territory, instead of allowing expats put locals out of jobs, then these sort of things can be avoided.
  • Ourplace (12/07/2017, 10:26) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Go look at those boxes that are being delivered to businesses in RT after Customs has closed. How is that possible? People want to destabilize our country and want us to run from it. We are not running; they who planning the destabilizing must go. We don't have no place to go; this is home. But some could go yonder because that's your home.
    Police know what's going on with these guns dropping out of sofas, etc, and they are afraid to break up this gun ring? Come on, the first one they catch, send a strong message...undesirable, you got to go.
  • What? (12/07/2017, 13:25) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    So police could operate on anonymous tip and arrest anyone? Isn't that hearsay?
    Someone could call anonymously and claim they saw me with a firearm (even if I don't have one), and i'll be arrested? How can the police determine if the tipster has a motive?
    I guess no one has rights.
  • --------------------- (12/07/2017, 23:10) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    A country with no law & order ; it's shameful...
  • Mouse (15/07/2017, 07:52) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Listen to this I am living and working in this country for the past 18 years years what I find with the locals they are two dam lazy when u employ them for pay check u do not c them again and all the certificate they got from where ever the do not have a clue of what is going on is we the expats have to teach them because they knows nothing we the expats have all the boating and other industries booming go around all the companies around tottolla and c who is the leading skill men or women there so u locals should of been proud to have us here for u guys to learn something dum dum


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