By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

POLICE Commissioner Clayton Fernander urged residents to stay vigilant and heed warnings to remain safe, following three armed robberies this week.

Police have repeatedly warned residents to be careful and not to put themselves in situations to be a target of crime such as – making business transactions with strangers in unsafe areas, not being aware of one’s surroundings, and failing to be extra cautious when driving at night.

“They have to listen to what we are telling them to save lives because we don't want nothing to happen to nobody,” Commissioner Fernander told reporters on Thursday. “But they have to listen to the safety tips that we continue to say. We will just have to continue to patrol those areas and where we see people hanging out late, we will just have to ask them to please leave. But it's a concern and we're asking members of the public to please adhere to our safety tips.”

On Wednesday, a man was robbed after meeting up with a customer he met on Facebook. The armed robbery incident happened after 5pm in the area of Bangladesh Crescent off Carmichael Road. Police said the victim arranged a jewelry sale with an unknown man that he met on Facebook. Upon his arrival at the agreed location, he met the man dressed in all-black clothing who requested to see the jewelry item. The unknown man then reportedly produced a firearm and robbed him of several jewelry pieces before fleeing the area.

People who are meeting up with others to sell items have been advised by police to utilize the services of the Royal Bahamas Police Force when conducting business transactions with strangers.

Commissioner Fernander added that business owners can also go to their local officers in their community if they have any safety concerns or need any assistance when securing their establishment at closing time.

There were two other armed robberies occurred this week.

A man and woman were robbed in a parking lot at West Avenue around 11pm on Wednesday. According to preliminary reports the pair were inside a purple Honda Fit L/P #DA5651 in the parking lot of a business establishment when they were accosted by three unknown men in a white Mitsubishi Bus. Two of the men were armed with handguns as they robbed the victims of their vehicle and personal belongings.

On Thursday, a man and woman were also robbed shortly before 1am at Montague Beach. The pair were inside a gray 2013 Nissan Note when they were confronted by two unknown men, one of whom was armed with a firearm. It is reported that the culprits robbed them of their vehicle and personal belongings before they fled the area, traveling east along East Bay Street, making good on their escape.