Philipsburg: --- Several major robberies took place over the weekend and late last week, none of which police reported to date. Jadira Veen of Pride Foundation said her home was robbed on Thursday night. Veen who was off island at the time said her husband Jerome Veen was on island but was not at home when the bandits invaded their home stealing a number of valuable items.
Veen said she lost all her jewelry, which she accumulated for over twenty years, some of which she had intended to pass on to her daughters, because of their sentimental values.
The thieves she said also stole her computer, internet router and other electronics including the games for play-station and game boy, cable and satellite box. Veen said it seems as if there was more than one person, because the thieves walked with tools to break the metal bars from their windows. She said the bandits not only broke the bars they also broke the wall, she said they broke the kitchen window, where they gain access to the house. While inside the house, the thieves she said had so much time that they opened one of her computers and took out the hard drive (RAM). Veen said the thieves nowadays are not coming empty handed, besides being armed they are walking with power tools to remove safety and security bars. One of the concerns of the well-known resident is that police is not doing a good enough job to warn its residents about the ongoing spate of robberies. Furthermore, she said both sides of the island are lacking proper security.
Veen said the police visited the home on Friday morning and they took fingerprints as they began the investigation.
Also robbed was the home of Bobby Velasquez. Velasquez said a drug addict went into his home on Saturday night, which is located upstairs of the Green House restaurant and stole a number of items. The businessman said he was in his house at the time sleeping when the bandit went through one of the guess bathroom window, all of which is recorded on his video surveillance system. Ironic though Velasquez said he noticed the invasion when he woke up on Sunday morning and up to midday on Monday, the police had not yet visited the scene. Velasquez said the bandit whom he recognized as one of the drug addict on the beach stole his music system (BOSE), his cable television box, and an IPOD.
In addition, robbed last week is the office of the St. Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association, none of which has been reported.
SMN News was also informed that the owner of Golden Eyes was followed home and robbed. The source said the owner (Abbas) was followed to his house, the thieves it is said tied him up and robbed him of over $7000 as well as pouring gasoline on the victim and set it alight. Police said they are not aware of this incident, since no official report has been made.
Police Spokesman Johan Janchi Leonard in his statement confirmed the robbery at the residence of Jerome Veen. The police spokesman said the robbery unit is busy investigating.
