Assistant Commissioner: Be extra careful during Carnival

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Eckron Lockhart is calling on law abiding citizens and visitors alike to cooperate fully with the police and render any assistance necessary to have a crime free Vincy Mas.{{more}}

Lockhart made the appeal at a Carnival Development Corporation (CDC) press conference on Tuesday, June 22, 2010, while sensitizing the public about prevalent crimes that are committed during the Carnival season in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

The senior police officer cited an increase in burglaries around this time, where homes, places of business and other premises are broken into.

Lockhart said, the police are urging homeowners, to alert their neighbours when they plan to be out so that those persons can pay attention to the homes.

“I am asking people to be extra careful to ensure that you secure your premises, your business places or what have you,” said Lockhart.

He also appealed to persons not to take excessive cash and jewellery with them when they go into the city, because of the prevalence of pickpockets.

“By now we all know that we are going to a show and how much we expect to spend, leave the rest secured somewhere…Chains and other jewellery, it is not the time for them. You will be jumping in large crowds and they will be gone and you don’t know,” Lockhart advised.

He also urged places of business and vendors to look out for shoplifters, as well as counterfeit cash. He suggested hiring extra help could alleviate this problem.

Lockhart used the opportunity to warn that praedial larceny, the stealing of farmers’ livestock and produce are usually on the increase during the carnival season because of the increase of cook outs and picnics.

The Royal St.Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, said Lockhart, is expecting a peaceful Carnival but the officers will not be taking anything for granted.

“We are going to be out in full force again this year on the streets of Kingstown and throughout St. Vincent and the Grenadines,” he remarked.

Lockhart said, the Police Force continues to build on strategies that have worked well over the years and will be employing new ones if necessary.