BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – FORMER Police officer Avan Lapsey who suffered an injury during a struggle while preventing a 24 year-old man from robbing a gas station recently said that the situation could have been a lot worse.
The incident which occurred last Thursday, September 02, at Gillard’s Gas Station when a Sprott Street man, later identified as Leslie Farrel entered the compound wearing a mask with the intentions of committing a crime.
Ex police officer Lapsey who served in the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis police force for 15 years from 1991-2006 andwho benefitted from training during his tenure as a Police officer in Barbados, Puerto Rico, Grenada and the United States is currently employed as a Certified Massage Therapist.
Lapsey said that he attended college to become a certified Massage Therapist an occupation from which he continues to benefit immensely as he now has his own Massage Parlor and also provides services at the Emerald Mist Spa at the St. Kitts Marriott Hotel.
The former cop said that on the night in question, he was on the perimeter of the gas station when he saw Farrel enter the compound wearing a mask.
He said he shouted, “mask man!” and made his way on the inside of the building where the lubricants are sold and said that Farrel pursued him.
Lapsey said that Farrel then began demanding money and was swinging a machete around.
“With my training and experience, I’m trained to disarm and kill so I decided he was not going to rob this place tonight. I went into action quickly and decided to take him down, we had a struggle. I had him down for awhile until the police came and took him from me,” he said.
He said that after the police removed Farrel from his physical restraint he observed that there was an injury on his left hand and left index finger.
Lapsey said that the wound is proving to be somewhat of a handicap for him but that the situation could have been much worse.
“I work with my hands, now I have to wait and see, it pains me now and then, it’s an unfortunate situation and I just hope things work out for the best,” he said.
In addition to being the proprietor of the massage parlor at his New Road home, Lapsey is also a Bus Driver.
“This incident has slowed me down a lot. I have six children and I have to find something to do, it puts me out of commission for awhile,” he said.
He is hoping that the incident would deter others from committing a crime.
“We don’t know how many persons he went to before, crime does not pay”.
“I’m trained as a Body guard under the former administration, I got a lot of training and back ground in Policing, being a body guard you always have to be prepared you never know what will happen,” he said.
Why? This the question which appears to have left several persons in a state of confusion, given their knowledge of the suspect.
In questioning the motive Lapsey said after seeing the photograph of Farrel posted on this website, the suspect does not look like a person one would expect to commit such a crime.
Several persons expressed shock when the news broke and Farrel’s photograph accompanied the article.
The article attracted a deluge of comments.
Several persons know Farrel to be a Graphic Artist who operated a business called 7 Star Editing with its affiliates Star Photography and 7 Star Entertainment.
A young man, who appeared positive and focused on life, and who also played basketball..
One person commentng on the SKNVibes report on Farrel, said that he seemed to be a nice person.
“I don't know this guy but it seemed he was no slouch, he's a popular Facebook member, he's a photographer, graphic designer, basketball player, someone said he started his own business, he's a father, he organized a hike, seems to be a nice person etc. The question is what would turn a young man like this to armed robbery? It’s baffling. People should not let the pressures of life spurn them to sin,” they said.
Altonia Springer who refers to Farrel as her business partner said that it is out of character for him to rob the gas station and that everyone makes mistakes.
She said that Farrel should not be judged by the mistake he has made, that everyone makes mistakes and only God can judge them.
Fellow Graphic Artist and owner of Vivid Designs, Diego Spanner said it was ‘sad to see a fellow Graphic Artist go down that way and that at times society may put pressure on youth and adults’.
“Whether ambitious or lazy we can’t hide from it, Politics in the country or politics in the home is not an excuse. The ability and strength to overcome lies within us,” he said.
Spanner said that when he first learnt of the incident, the idea of Farrel being ‘broke’ first came to mind.
“But so are many others, then went on to think don’t hate him, don’t bad-mind him, he probably could not handle the pressure like some can, only he would know what ticked him off”.
“No need to judge the brother, instead we should understand that we all aren’t the same and our problems can be nothing but an ant bite to some… the villain is also the victim,” he said.
Another Graphic Designer, Tony Ible said that “many are poor and struggling and everyone must be responsible for the choices they make”.
“No one has to tell me what it’s like as an artist in this country, I have the grays and embarrassing stories to show it. We all struggle it’s our choice, no one force us to be who we are and do what we do. Do not let your situation or choice of profession turn you into a hardcore criminal or make you insane,” he said.
Wallis Wilkin, assistant marketing manager at Horsfords and a member of the St. Kitts Amateur Basketball Association said he employed Farrel a few occasions in the past in his capacity as a Graphic Artist.
“Here we have a young man with the world of talent and ambition who was somehow forced to take such a drastic measure as trying to rob a gas station with a machete of all things. Now using a machete shows that he is not an experienced Robber, he was obviously driven by some sort of circumstance”.
