The weapon that was confiscated from the scooter rider.
PHILIPSBURG--A suspect riding a scooter with no visible licence plate was arrested after fleeing from police, falling off his bike and attempting to hide a weapon under a nearby vehicle during a brief foot chase.
According to a press release from the St. Maarten Police Force KPSM while conducting a planned operation at approximately 2:00am on Wednesday, police encountered a black scooter on L.B. Scott Road with no visible licence plate.
Upon attempting to stop and conduct a routine inspection of the scooter, the rider “displayed evasive behaviour” and attempted to flee from the patrol unit. The pursuit continued until the rider lost control of the scooter in the vicinity of Copper Drive, near a local supermarket, and subsequently fell from the scooter. After a brief foot chase, officers were successful in locating the suspect who had attempted to hide a firearm under a nearby vehicle. The firearm was confiscated for further investigation. The suspect was taken into custody without further incident and transported to the Police Station for questioning, where he is being held pending further investigation.
The police said in an effort to take a proactive response to a series of armed robbery incidents targeting citizens in the early morning hours, it implemented a plan of action targeting scooter riders supposedly involved in armed robberies on personnel in the early morning hours.
Over the last few weeks, the KPSM said it had been working to address and prevent armed robberies that have been occurring in the community. In a planned operation, officers were able to make a “breakthrough”, the police said in referring to the arrest of the scooter rider.
