Police Urge Tighter Security After Robberies
The Royal Virgin Islands Police Force is urging business operators across the territory to enhance security measures following seven recent commercial robberies. Police have stepped up patrols and are actively pursuing leads while advising businesses to limit on-site cash and upgrade surveillance.
The Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) has issued an urgent appeal to business owners and managers across the territory to tighten their security protocols following a recent wave of seven commercial robberies. In response to the surge in crime, the RVIPF announced that it has intensified investigative resources and increased targeted patrols in key commercial districts.
Detectives are actively pursuing several leads to identify and apprehend the perpetrators responsible for the string of incidents. Acting Commissioner of Police Richard Ullger underscored the gravity of the situation, noting that robbery remains a serious offence that threatens public safety and undermines the sense of security within local communities.
He urged anyone who may have observed suspicious activity, captured footage, or holds pertinent information to come forward, emphasizing that even minor details could prove critical to ongoing investigations. The heightened security alert follows several reported business robberies on Tortola, including incidents in Manuel Reef and Road Reef in mid-October, as well as an earlier robbery in Purcell in late September.
To mitigate risks, law enforcement officials have advised commercial establishments to minimize the amount of cash held on premises, conduct frequent bank deposits, and use secure cash-handling protocols. Operators are specifically encouraged to vary deposit times and travel routes to prevent criminals from identifying predictable patterns.
Police also recommended installing safes equipped with time-delay locks and restricting employee access to cash storage areas. Additionally, the RVIPF advised businesses to install and maintain functional CCTV cameras covering all entrances, exits, cash registers, loading zones, and parking lots.
Commercial properties should also ensure adequate perimeter lighting and consider implementing monitored alarm systems. The police force also advised residents with derelict or inoperable vehicles to remove and securely store their licence plates until the vehicles are back in service, preventing them from being stolen and used in illicit activities.
Members of the public with relevant information, CCTV, doorbell camera, or mobile phone footage are urged to contact the RVIPF Intelligence Unit at 368-9512 or the Criminal Investigations Department at 368-9155. Police assured that all reports will be handled with strict confidentiality.
Primary source: BVI News