More police guns stolen, Internal Affairs investigates

St. Thomas, USVI - The Criminal Investigation Bureau and Internal Affairs are investigating the theft of three police-issued firearms following the officers’ reporting the separate incidents over the holiday weekend.

Acting Police Inspector Kenneth Gittens confirmed the two fire-arm thefts on St. Croix, explaining that both were reported ‘missing’ from the police officers’ homes.

Gittens informed that an auxiliary police officer reported that his off-duty gun was stolen from his home last Friday (Jan. 2) and that a teen-aged family has since been detained and charged with grand larceny.

In the second instance Gittens said a police officer reported that a duty belt holding a handgun, baton, ammunition clip and handcuffs was stolen from his residence at Estate Whim on Sunday (Jan. 4).

On St. Thomas, a third firearm was stolen on Saturday night (Jan. 3) during the robbery of an Anna's Fancy bar.

It was reported that two hooded men rushed into the establishment and robbed all the patrons, including the off-duty police officer, of personal items. No-one has been held for that crime nor have the names of the officers been released in any of the instances.

St. Thomas Deputy Police Chief Melvin Venzen informed that officers are allowed to carry their own handguns during off-duty hours and can also be armed at bars once not “drunk or disorderly”.

Police Commissioner James McCall has said that as with any case involving the theft of an officer’s gun, the matters “have been referred to Internal Affairs for investigation”.

The VI Daily News reported McCall as saying, "Of course I have concerns over the loss of a weapon that makes its way into the community. We take this very seriously and that is why they are being investigated." ~~Adz:Right~~