On Thursday, civilians foiled an attempt to steal a chain from a tourist using a walker on Jeremie Street, Castries.
According to a police officer familiar with the incident, a young man sought to relieve the woman of the item.
However, the officer told St. Lucia Times that several vendors and other civilians intervened, and the young man fled.
The President of the Saint Lucia Craft and Dry Goods Vendors Association, Peter ‘Ras Ipa’ Isaac, commended the efforts of the vendors and others while noting that they did so at the risk of getting harmed. Isaac noted that young criminals may carry a knife or firearm.
Regarding Thursday afternoon’s incident, he observed that there are always cruise ships in the harbour during the festive season.
Isaac told St. Lucia Times he learned that a young man accosted a tourist couple, one of whom was using a walker with wheels. The Vendors Association President said the young man pushed the man aside, and the man fell.
“The vendors at the time, especially in the vicinity of Jeremie Street in front of the market came to the rescue and defended the couple and the suspect fled,” Isaac stated.
Isaac said eyewitnesses disclosed that the suspect is a well-known character around the CDC area, and it should not be difficult for the police to apprehend him.
He noted that vendors are doing their bit to protect the tourism industry and ensure the safety of visitors. “That’s not the first time vendors have come to the rescue,” Isaac recalled.
He called for a greater presence of officers in uniform and civilian clothing in the capital, especially on holidays when there are usually few people and vehicles moving around. “That’s the time people think a visitor is easy prey,” Isaac told St. Lucia Times.
Thursday’s incident occurred days after Castries Central MP Richard Frederick appealed for an end to the criminal activity plaguing the City and urged more assistance from law enforcement officials.
During his weekly talk show, the Housing and Local Government Minister expressed frustration over the persistent harassment of passersby by individuals who frequent the CDC area in the heart of the City.
He called out specific individuals by name, urging them to stop their deviant behaviour.
“They lime under the CDC and all they do is rob the tourists. That’s all they do. I am sick of it. I am tired of it and it has to stop,” Frederick declared.
Frederick called on top law enforcement officials to place added emphasis on the Central Castries area to put a stop to criminal and deviant conduct.
Need to demolish Castries entirely and turn it to a car park
what happened to the just days in operation, police mobile Unit? isnt the the exact situation that they seek to prevent or come to the aid of tourist?
So was Frederick correct, or incorrect to identify the perpetrators? Reports indicate this was one who frequent the CDC area, was he one of those identified by Frederick?
Them man in castries stealing from the tourist the men in vieux Fort stealing food in farmers garden . The only thing they good for is smoke crack cocaine, weed, and drink bounty rum
When it comes to the crime in St Lucia the current government are like dogs backing at flying birds so please at the moment don’t expect too much until right before the 2026 general election..
Meanwhile the gov’t has recruited 75 new police officers to combat crime….laughable!
He was a good boy came to steal the tourist gold chain to bring for his mother for her Christmas gift
Too bad he got away. Big up to the vendors, you all out there hustling, people sometimes curse you’ll but still you are the ones protecting the product because you’ll know it’s your bread and butter.
I don’t suppose that this is the same RED EYED LUCIAN HIGHGRADE. For once your comment makes absolute sense and I’m in total agreement with you. Bravo to the vendors for protecting their livelihood and by extension keeping our economy thriving.
@That Judas SLP to the Bone……correct my eyes are always red from the Highgrade but my glaucoma has stabilized and receding so I would highly recommend for you to do the same, so for pure and obscure holistic betterment, straight from the lavatory of the Almighty always look for The Highgrade Brand. What that fellow should have gotten and I post it, there is not a St Lucian on earth that would have been offended and not agree. Nowadays they want to practice prestige “journalistic etiquette” to suit their so called “robust intellect” like really. Do they understand the primary metaphor used to describe freedom of speech in today media is the marketplace of ideas ? Someone needs to tell that, but I don’t have the time to school and scolded my hometown paper, I spent most of my energy of engagements on more open prolific platforms that’s in tuned with free exchange of diverse viewpoints.
@Bones the UWP government was the same way when in government. Crime is not handled properly under neither UWP or SLP, so what’s your point. Stop politicing crime. The current government will do all in it’s power to get crime under control now and pass 2026 until 2030, deal with that.
Why isn’t that police mobile unit not located right where the chicken van is by the CDC? As a matter of fact they should just place another one there to police that area 24/7 & arrest loitering individuals.Its not like they don’t know the USELESS ones in that area.