BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – The local population is being encouraged to take a new approach to crime fighting; one which takes elements of the every-day environment into account.
The call was made recently by Commissioner of Police Celvin ‘CG’ Walwyn who at the time was speaking at an event hosted and organised by the Rotary Club of Liamuiga.
COP Walwyn told the gathering of a process called CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) which needs to be adopted here. He made special reference to overgrown shrubbery which assists criminals in executing their baleful plans.
He explained that one of the ways in which residents can bolster the fight against crime is to trim or clear away nearby bushes thus eliminating possible hideouts for plotting criminals.
“People are coming from behind bushes and attacking people. We need to cut the shrubs down. We need to get the lots next to us cut. These guys are coming from behind the shrubbery and attacking people and you still growing the shrubbery. Please, trim them down. If you have a window…the shrub should not be above your window…You should be able to see out of any window. If you are going to put it up there, then you need to get…some ‘cosha’ bush up against your window so it makes it hard for them to want to stay there.
“You have to design the area for your protection. I know everybody want pretty flowers…but we have to be different today because things have changed and these guys don’t really care about you, they care about what you have.”
It is a known fact that darkness is often used as a cover by sinister minds in carrying out their felonious bidding. COP Walwyn suggested that something as simple as leaving on a light on the outside of one’s home overnight can act as a deterrent.
“The problem we have in the States is that murder and everything went down, but the property crimes went up. You are seeing that here in St. Kitts. As people get hungry, they start going to the person who has it and unfortunately you are it. So you have to make it where it’s not welcomed.
“At my house, I live three storeys up, the second story is also mine. I leave my patio light on overnight. I’d much rather pay for the current at night than somebody try to sneak up on my porch and try to do something. So (there are) simple little things that you can do to try to help.”
