The island should be a little safer because in total six alleged armed robbers were held in recent days. On the French side it regarded a repeat-offender adult and two minors from the same district, one even under 16 and still in school although with a record of frequent absenteeism.
Together they are considered responsible for no fewer than 11 aggravated thefts, four armed robberies and two holdups since the start of this year. Their reported victims included a hotel and restaurant in Nettle Bay, Chinese-owned convenience stores and other businesses as well as individuals.
On the Dutch side three men believed to have robbed a supermarket on Union Road at 8:35pm Friday were caught soon after when their getaway vehicle was spotted in Cay Hill. Following a short chase, they ditched the car and tried to flee, one of them with something in his hand that according to a bystander looked like a gun.
The same eyewitness stated that officers fired at least six shots and they hit one of the suspects said to be in critical but stable condition. Not much later the others were also detained. Weapons have supposedly been confiscated, while it turned out this trio was suspected of robbing two more shops in Concordia that same evening too.
Meanwhile, efforts to not just arrest but imprison such criminals continue. Last week the court in St. Maarten sentenced a 21-year-old man who robbed two supermarkets in 10 days to two years in prison, while a 19-year-old accused of involvement in three similar cases heard a demand of eight years behind bars.
The week before, two French-side residents were sentenced by the court in Philipsburg to respectively five and 10 years in prison for several armed robberies. Prosecutors and judges are coming down hard on these crimes that endanger the lives of others.
Would-be robbers had better realise as well that getting away with it is increasingly unlikely due to ever-more-widespread use of modern surveillance and communication equipment. Law enforcement authorities, meanwhile, deserve credit for taking at least half a dozen apparent armed and dangerous bandits off the streets for now.
