Man Charged After Glock Seized in Baughers
A 20-year-old man, identified as Vern Frett, was arrested on Saturday, August 15 after police say they found a Glock pistol and 11 rounds of ammunition during a stop-and-check in Baughers Bay. The Royal Virgin Islands Police Force charged Frett with carrying a firearm without a licence, unlawful possession of explosives and failing to comply with a police order; the arrest was described by the RVIPF as part of ongoing, territory-wide efforts to remove illegal firearms. The details were reported in a police release covered by BVI News and corroborated by local outlet Guavaberry on August 18, 2026; Frett remains in custody pending his appearance before the Magistrate’s Court.
A 20-year-old man has been arrested and charged after officers say they recovered a Glock pistol and 11 rounds of ammunition during a stop-and-check operation in Baughers Bay. According to a police release reported by BVI News and corroborated by Guavaberry, the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) identified the accused as 20-year-old Vern Frett.
He was detained on Saturday, August 15 when members of the RVIPF Armed Response Unit and the Special Patrol Team carried out a joint operation in the area. Police say officers found Frett in possession of a Glock pistol and 11 rounds of ammunition. He was subsequently arrested and charged with Carrying a Firearm Without a Licence, Unlawful Possession of Explosives, and Failing to Comply with an Order Given by Police.
The RVIPF said Frett remains in custody pending an appearance before the Magistrate’s Court, in line with procedures described in the force’s August 18 release. The RVIPF described the arrest as part of proactive territory-wide operations aimed at removing illegal firearms and keeping residents and visitors safe.
The force noted that seized weapons and ammunition are routinely submitted for forensic examination as part of ongoing investigations. This recovery follows a series of firearm seizures across the British Virgin Islands this year. In June, police charged 29-year-old Shakhoy Penn after officers allegedly recovered a Glock 17 with an extended magazine holding 21 rounds; at the time authorities said that was the eighth illegal firearm recovered in 2026.
In July, officers seized a loaded 9mm pistol with 15 rounds during a patrol in Fat Hogs Bay and charged 30-year-old Tiejie Henley. Earlier in August the RVIPF reported recovering three illegal firearms and 117 rounds of ammunition during separate operations, including a Glock with 17 rounds of 9mm and two high-powered rifles with 100 rounds of 5.56-calibre ammunition.
The RVIPF urged residents and visitors to remain vigilant and to report information about illegal firearms or related criminal activity. The force encouraged people to contact the Intelligence Unit at 368-9512, or to provide information anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 800-8477 (TIPS).
Community cooperation, police said, remains a key part of efforts to reduce gun-related risks and improve public safety across the territory. Local reporting on the incident was carried in a police release summarized by BVI News and independently reported by Guavaberry on August 18, 2026, which reaffirmed the details of the stop-and-check and the subsequent charges.
Investigations into the seizure and any linked activity are ongoing.
Primary source: BVI News