BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – LAST night (Feb. 16), while many people were busy with their usual weekend shopping and some engaged in developmental activities, four armed, masked bandits had robbed the Island Food Grocery of an undisclosed sum of money.
Island Food Grocery is situated on Cayon Street next to Sonia Carr’s establishment and is owned by a Chinese national named Alex Li.
According to Police Press and Public Relations Officer, Inspector Lyndon David, the robbery took place at about 8:45 last night.
David was unable to say how much money was stolen from the grocery but however promised that details would be provided via press release later today.
He noted that investigations are ongoing and is appealing to members of the public who may have information to share with the police to call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-8477 (TIPS).
This is not the first time that Island Food Grocery had been targeted by bandits.
On August 9, 2010, Travis Christmas of Dorset Village, who was an employee at the grocery, was charged with larceny after he was caught on camera removing an undisclosed sum of money from an area for which he was supposed to be providing security.
The then 31-year-old was subsequently sentenced to serve nine months with hard labour at Her Majesty’s Prison (HMP).
On February 7, 2011, Novel Braithwaite of Keys Village was caught with a number of packets of processed ham, cheese and salami stuffed into his pants, which legs were secured into his shoes to prevent the items from falling out.
Braithwaite was caught with the items by a police officer as he was about to exit the establishment.
He appeared before the District ‘A’ Magistrate Court on Monday, September 26, 2011 where he was convicted of the offence and sentenced to serve three years at HMP.
And on Thursday, November 1, 2012, Rondel Hanley was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for breaking into the Island Food Grocery’s warehouse and stealing a very large quantity of items on February 15, 2011.
He had stolen 12 cases of Nestle Cornflakes, 30 cases of Kraft macaroni and cheese, 15 cases of Carnation milk, 12 cases of Starkist tuna, 20 cases of Brunswick Sardine, 20 cases of Fruita can drinks, 11 cases of Helmans mayonnaise, six cases of Stone Ginger Wine, three cases of Beehive Brandy, four cases of Nido Milk Powder, three cases each of large and small Sunquicks, 18 cases of Libby's spaghetti and meatballs, two cases of Delmont sliced pineapples, 35 cases of Libby's vienna sausage, four cases of Hunts tomato paste, 12 cases of a certain juice, seven cases of trash bags, two cases of Redbull, 11 cases of Teddy's pampers, three cases of Milo, three cases of Napoleon Brandy, two cases of Complete Seasoning, two cases of Festival cookies, two cases of Quix dishwashing liquid, 20 bottles of Listerine mouthwash, 25 cases of Pringles, four cases of Bounty paper towel, two cases of Magnum, two cases of Sunmix, and four cases of Heineken Beer, all to the value of EC$33,031.56.
