By RIEL MAJOR

Tribune Staff Reporter

rmajor@tribunemedia.net

AFTER a spate of recent armed robberies in the capital, Chief Superintendent Solomon Cash of the Central Detective Unit urged residents and business owners to be vigilant and to take all necessary precautions to remain safe as the Christmas season approaches.

Despite nearly daily armed robberies in New Providence in the past several weeks, CSP Cash told The Tribune yesterday armed robberies have not increased. However he said police presence will be beefed up in certain areas heading into peak shopping season.

“I wouldn’t say we’ve had a lot of armed robberies, but we are beefing up patrols. Beefing up patrols is a part of (our) strategy particularly in the shopping areas, the high-volume shopping areas so you will see more police moving closer to Christmas season,” CSP Cash said.

“We don’t expect any crime to increase but we are in a preventative mode, so we aren’t expecting the worst. We are expecting a good Christmas for all Bahamian citizens and in ensuring that you will see high volumes of police presence.”

As holiday period approaches, CSP Cash advised people making large bank deposits not to do so alone and urged business owners to use armored car services.

He said: “We want to tell the general public particularly those shopping during peak season, we ask people to as much as they can avoid exposing valuables. We also encourage people who will be parking, to park in areas where vehicles are more concentrated than isolated areas. If you are moving about, you should always walk with another person who could be a second eye for them as they go about their business.

“We want to encourage business owners, particularly those who are highly paid during the day who have to move about with large cash, to be mindful that they can use armored car services who can assist them in moving cash from their locations to the banks where they are making deposits. In addition, if they’re not using that method, do not go alone always be accompanied by an individual in a second car so they can be a watchful eye when they go about making their deposits.”

CSP Cash said criminals need to know that the police are on ‘high alert’ for them.

“Should they decide they will perpetrate against any citizens, the police will be well and ready to arrest them and have them taken into police custody,” he said.

His comments came as police said they were looking for one suspect connected with an armed robbery committed Sunday night.

According to reports, shortly after 10pm on Sunday, an armed man entered a service station on Fox Hill and Prince Charles Drive. The assailant held an employee at bay and robbed the establishment of an undetermined amount of cash before fleeing the scene in a grey Honda Fit. Investigations into this matter is ongoing.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the TIP hotline at 328-TIPS (8477) or the Central Detective Unit at 502-9991/2.

The Nassau Guardian reported on Monday that there were 59 armed robberies between September 1 to November 15, according to figures obtained by police.