PHILIPSBURG:--- Detectives arrested Officer Fabian Perez-Torres early Friday morning as they continue to probe the investigation of the stolen vehicles that were upgraded by Minister of Justice Anna Richardson after SMN News published a string of articles regarding stolen vehicles on St. Maarten/ St. Martin.
Officer Fabian Perez-Torres a national of Curacao and Chille was fingered by Franklin Brison in mid-2020 when his vehicle was stolen and Perez-Torres was seen driving the vehicle on numerous occasions with one license plate.
Back then police defended their colleague saying that he was not involved in any way with the stealing of vehicles.
Perez-Torres was also renting vehicles to several persons within the community of St. Maarten even though he is not in possession of a car rental license. Several persons within the community confirmed to SMN News that they rented vehicles from the officer in question.
Franklin Brison said in an interview with SMN News that license plates were being switched and that the police management was busy covering up for their colleague. Brison’s vehicle was stolen on September 9th, 2019, and he had filed a complaint with the police and prosecutor’s office. It was not until after SMN News published several articles regarding the rampant stealing of vehicles that alleged that KPSM officers were heavily involved that Brison managed to recover his vehicle from the French side.
Due to the articles published by SMN News Minister of Justice Anna Richardson requested that an in-depth investigation be conducted.
The Prosecutor’s Office has since said the officer is not involved in the stolen vehicle investigation.
While the Prosecutor’s Office acknowledged an in-debt investigation took place to see if officers of KPSM were involved in the vehicular theft racket on St. Maarten/ St. Martin at no time did the Prosecutor’s Office or the Minister of Justice gave any information on the outcome of said investigation. In their Facebook press release, the Prosecutor’s Office also confirmed the arrest of the officer but did not say for what he is being investigated and arrested.
While the Prosecutor’s Office said in their press release that the officer was not involved in the stolen car racket they failed to mention that a Prosecutor whose car was stolen saw his vehicle parked up in front of the Philipsburg Police Station. According to information provided to SMN News, the Prosecutor in question monitored his vehicle for a few days and then filed a complaint with the National Detectives. Hopefully, the Prosecutor’s Office will clarify if one of their colleague's vehicles was stolen and if he filed a complaint with the National Detectives and it led to the arrest of Officer Fabian Perez-Torres.
Police officer arrested in the ongoing investigation
The Management of the Police of Sint Maarten (KPSM) would like to hereby confirm that The Officer F.L.M.P-T of KPSM was arrested by the National Detectives earlier on Friday morning, March 19, 2021
We would like to emphasize that this colleague is now also a suspect and that, just like any other citizen, his guilt must be proven. The investigation is now underway, which we as an organization will await before we can respond substantively. We were informed about the ongoing investigation and we are of course cooperating fully with the National Detectives.
The management of KPSM stands for a Police Force with integrity and if there are any issues of misconduct should be raised and investigated. We, therefore, see this investigation as an outcome of this. The judicial system will be put into work and will deal with the inappropriate/ of criminal behavior.
No further comments into this investigation can de divulge at the moment. This investigation into the culpability of these officers is still in its early stages.
KPSM Press Release.
