Gunmen rob Riteway East End
Riteway East End was robbed of cash by four heavily armed masked bandits tonight, November 24, 2016. Photo: Internet Source
MAJOR BAY, Tortola, VI- Gun crimes continue to plague the territory as this evening, November 24, 2016 heavily armed men pounced on Riteway East End.
According to reports reaching Virgin Islands News Online, at around 9:00 P.M. four masked men brandishing firearms walked into the store located in Major Bay, East End, demanding money.
The bandits reportedly took all the cash out of the cash registers and also forced the supervisor to open the store's safe and hand over all the cash that was in it.
No one was injured in the incident that took place as the store was about to close.
The robbers then reportedly fled in a boat that was at the dock behind the establishment.
It is not clear at this time how much money the bandits carted off with.
Information requested from the Royal Virgin Islands Police (RVIPF) on the incident was not received up to time of publication.
Disclaimer: Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) welcomes your thoughts, feedback, views, bloggs and opinions. However, by posting a blogg you are agreeing to post comments or bloggs that are relevant to the topic, and that are not defamatory, liable, obscene, racist, abusive, sexist, anti-Semitic, threatening, hateful or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be excluded permanently from making contributions. Please view our declaimer above this article. We thank you in advance for complying with VINO's policy.
Follow Us On
Disclaimer: All comments posted on Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) are the sole views and opinions of the commentators and or bloggers and do not in anyway represent the views and opinions of the Board of Directors, Management and Staff of Virgin Islands News Online and its parent company.
78 Responses to “Gunmen rob Riteway East End”
Is unemployment cause by 1) lack of job creation and job opportunities, 2) poor economic growth, 3)lack of training, education and skills for available jobs, 4) disdain for certain jobs due to rising standard of living and quality of life ......etc. Undoubtedly, crime should not pay and those that commit crime should suffer the consequences. But the VI cannot just jail its way out of the crime wave/problem. Other investment and solutions are needed. Some solutions include 1)improving education and training, 2) investing effectively in human capital to meet job opportunities, 3) improving and diversifying the economic base, 4)improving job creation ( low and high skill), 5) recreating a culture of work, 6) reducing the need for instant gratification (got to have it now), 6)attaining the standard of living seen on TV takes time and preparation......etc.
The community created the problem and it must solve the problem. Increasing violent and property crimes exact a high cost on the community's quality of life. Solving the issue must involve the whole community, ie, churches, schools, social organizations, non governmental organizations (NGO), government, families, law enforcement.....etc. From afar, it appears that crime may be at crisis level that may be paralyzing the community. Rising crime is increasing the cost of living, i.e., increasing cost of security(physical security, technology), rising prices......etc. Both short-term and long-term solutions are needed. An adhoc crime task force comprising a cross-section of the community is needed. The bottom line is that rising violent and property crime will stagnate economic growth and sustainability, eroding/stifling/stagnating the quality of life and standard of living that residents have grown accustomed to.
Are police records a true reading /record of the holder? Are the thugs home-grown? Is unemployment the true cause of rising crime? Is a changing attitude towards the world of work the cause? Is laziness the cause? Is lacked of effective education and training a contributing cause? Are people expecting big jobs and big money for jobs they are have not been adequately trained for? Is the need to have everything now attitude contributing to crime? Are others, i.e., families and friends aiding and abetting these thugs?
Is prison a deterrent to crime? Is being labeled a jail bird a deterrent? Is doing time glamorized? Is just flinging the thugs in jail the panacea for the crime problem? No. Is economic growth at risk as happened in St. Croix as a result of crime? Does anyone remember Fountain Valley? Does the community need to arrest the violent and property crime wave before it goes beyond the point of no return? Is the community willing to give up some civil liberties to arrest crime?
No doubt the BVI has changed. Government borrows money to recklessly spend it on extravagant luxuries. Well, the profligacy may not be extravagant luxury but needed projects. On the the other hand, residents commit crime to live up to the standard of living they see on TV. BVI we must arrest the the problem now. Let's soar as eagles, not dive off the cliff as buffaloes.
I don't know what the answer is but something is not working.
The increase in crime and guns in only 2 years is unreal to me.
Beautiful BVI.
Being decline after graduating from high school to college n no job theirs only one thing to do to make it is thief you go to someone for help them carry your business on the street you up and down begging.... Then keep talking bout jail jailing someone don't Make them a better person you Making them a savage beast... But yeah that boat get away that's pro! Lol youths struggling mehson in a major way n SOOO! Lol TTTT
Nonetheless, as others have suggested, the root cause of VP must be explored and eradicated. There are root cause(s) to every problem. As Ed stated, the community cannot wash its hands on the cause of this problem and must also take responsibility for and fix it; there are no Pilates here. Were our children born criminals? No. Where did they learn the criminal behaviour from? Community. The discussion is sizzling and others should weigh in with their opinions, not just hitting the Like or Dislike buttons. On a final note, E. Leonard is more than capable of defending his blog if he so desires but IMO he was neither misleading nor making excuses for the criminals' behaviour. But Crap may be of the opinion that he and I are always dishing crap. Lol. Moreover, the RVIPF is not clairvoyant and needs our help in solving crimes. Persons with info should not hesitate to share it with the police.