During the five day period between November 3rd and November 8th 2009 several businesses and persons have become victims of violent armed robberies. Between this period at least 12 armed robberies were reported to the Special Robbery Unit.
These robberies are being committed by youngster who operate in groups of three of four persons. These robbers are armed with with handguns and or shotguns. The robbers are using excessive force such as beating their victims in their head with the butt of a gun and firing gun shots to overpower their victims and in doing so securing the succes of the robbery. Chineze restaurants and supermarkets, parkinglots of brothels and number offices just to mention a few of the businesses, that were subjects to these robberies. The locations were Sint Peters, Philipsburg, Cole bay, Middle Region and Dutch Quarter. The last serious armed robbery happened on November 7th when a worker from a popular lottery agency on the island was attacked and robbed of several money bags. During this robbery the victim suffered a serious wound to the back of his head and had to be transported to the Sint Maarten Medical Center for treatment.
The police is making an appeal to the general public to get involved by giving the police information that can lead to the arrest of these culprits. The public can use the "Tipline by dialing # 9300. The entire communtiy should get involved. This is a community problem.