Officers of the RVIPF continue to make notable strides in their efforts to identify the culprits responsible for the upsurge in burglaries with an additional three men charged. Photo: VINO/File

Damien Farrell, 24, was charged with seven counts of burglary all committed on the island of Virgin Gorda; a 16-year-old male was charged with three counts of burglary for two residents in East End and one in West End. A 20-year-old male was also charged for burglarizing a home in Baughers Bay. Farrell was remanded until his scheduled reappearance in court while the other two males were granted bailed.

A 17-year-old male of Road Town, who was charged in November with four counts of burglary, will face an additional eleven counts of burglary bringing the total to 15. His initial arrest led to a search of his mother’s premises and the recovery of a number of pieces of stolen jewelry. He was also remand in custody until his next appearance before the court.

Acting Commissioner of Police Alwin James commended the officers for their persistence and hard work in identifying the culprits in these cases.

In late September, Police had made public a dramatic rise in burglaries with multiple daytime residential break-ins mainly in the Long Bush, Lower Estate and Jose Hill areas and had warned homeowners to be vigilant in securing windows especially those out of public view.

The burglaries came after a record low in most crime categories for the first and second quarter of this year.