PHILIPSBURG:--- Police are busy combing Front Street and other areas in Philipsburg in search of two or three men who robbed the Dazzling Gems jewelry store located on Front Street Friday midday.
During the broad daylight robbery one person was injured when he tried to hold on to one of the robbers. Another person believed to be a tourist in the store at the time of the incident fell ill. In an invited comment Police Spokesman Ricardo Henson confirmed that the robbery took place and police are busy hunting for the suspects. Henson said he did not have all the details in the ongoing investigation but would make that available as soon as he receives it.
Several persons on St. Maarten are now expressing grave concern on the safety and security of the island. They remarked that just recently two bank robberies were committed during business hours in Cole Bay and to date police have not released any information on the investigation.
A police officer fired at least two shots at one of the robbery suspects who was crawling on a scooter in front of the Government Administration Building. The shots were fired while several persons were walking in front of the Government Administration Building. It should be noted that Friday July 11th, 2014 is postulation day causing a number of persons to be around the Government Administration Building. In an invited comment Chief Commissioner of Police Peter de Witte said that if shots were fired then an investigation would have to be conducted by the Landsrecherche.
SMN News later learned that the suspect police fired live shots at was captured somewhere in the vicinity of Quiznos and UTS. The suspect was captured by detectives that were eating at Quiznos. The suspect in question managed to throw the items he stole from Dazzling Gems jewelry store along with a gun used in the robbery on the roof of Quiznos. Several detectives were seen on the restaurant's roof retrieving the stolen items that were in a brown paper bag.
Daylight armed robbery.
At approximately 10:45am on Friday morning July 11th, 2014 several phone calls came into the Central Police Dispatch informing them of an armed robbery going on at Dazzling Gem, a jewelry store on Front Street opposite Passangrahan Hotel. The callers also stated that three or four armed persons were involved in the robbery and that a motorcycle or scooter and silver colored Kia Picanto with license P-6030 were used to flee the scene. Three armed and masked men dressed in dark clothing stormed into the establishment. One robber had a handgun and the other two robbers each had a hammer. The manager and employees were held at gunpoint by one robber while other two smashed and grabbed the jewelry from the showcases. A male tourist who saw what was going on attacked one of the robbers but was overpowered by the other two robbers who struck him on his head with their weapons injuring him. After committing their act the robbers fled the scene. Immediately after receiving this information several police patrols and off duty police officers were mobilized. Philipsburg and the surrounding area were immediately completely locked down causing major traffic back-up. All vehicles going out and coming in to Philipsburg were checked. A search by police and detectives to arrest the suspects and locate the vehicles used in the robbery followed because did not have the opportunity to escape. During the search the silver colored Kia Picanto was located in the Over the Bank area. This car was confiscated for further investigation by the Forensic Department. Shortly after, the suspect that was riding the motorcycle was seen by an officer involved in the search and he took off at high speed through the streets. The suspect was chased by police and in the area of the Government Administration Building several warning shots were fired by police, however the suspect continued fleeing from police who followed him on foot. The suspect lost control of the motorcycle in the area of the post office and fell on the ground. The suspect then took off on foot after throwing something on the roof of building in the area. The suspect was arrested on the scene by the officers and taken to the Philipsburg Police station. During the search on the roof a bag containing an amount of jewelry was found and confiscated for further investigation. Based on information that came in, a second suspect in this case was arrested at his home in Sucker Garden. Both suspects remain in custody for further investigation. The male tourist injured in this case was treated by the paramedics on the scene and then taken to the Sint Maarten Medical Center for further treatment. The case is under investigation by the Detective Department.
The Police Department wants to thank entire community and in particular those persons who called the 911 line to give information regarding this case which was very instrumental and lead to at least two arrests in the case thus far.
KPSM Police Report
