The Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) said house break-ins are on the rise this year in the British Virgin Islands.
In an update, RVIPF revealed the territory reported 11 more “dwelling burglaries” in 2023 when compared to the same period last year.
“The main areas affected are within the Road Town area to include Huntums Ghut, Horse path, Pasea Estate, Lower Estate, Free bottom, Main Street and McNamara. Perpetrators often gain entry to homes during the day through unsecured windows, especially those obscured from public view,” police said
“Recent burglaries showed that cash, jewellery and tools were the items predominately stolen.”
Head of the Criminal Investigations Department Acting Detective Chief Inspector Vernon Larocque says homeowners often report that they secured all the windows except for one window, which needed to be repaired.
“In too many instances, this is the window that a perpetrator uses to gain access. Homeowners should take the time to repair the locking mechanism for any inoperable windows and lock all windows that allow for easy access. Burglars are looking for any weak points of entry. If there is not an easy way to enter, a burglar will likely move on,” Larocque said.
He advised property owners to install home security cameras.
“Another easy deterrent is closed circuit television. In this modern era, CCTV is accessible, inexpensive, and easy to install. The footage can be stored remotely on the cloud and can be monitored in real time from any location around the world. Law enforcement can also be alerted while the offence is being committed.
“While there are no full-proof measures to prevent burglaries, there is some peace of mind knowing that even if you are not at home, there are eyes keeping watch and recording activities in and around your property,” he added.
Anyone with information on break-ins, are asked to call the Crime Stoppers line 800-8477 (TIPS) or the RVIPF Intelligence Unit at 368-9339.