BVI News

Police record another rise in incidents with the mentally ill

The following is a media release from the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF).

RVIPF is seeing another rise in reports of incidents involving persons with mental illness or those displaying similar behaviour.

Last night, a Long Bush female resident reported that she responded to a knock at her door around 9:30 pm. A man entered and tried to force himself on her.

Persons in the area responded to her cries for help and the perpetrator who appeared to be unbalanced was apprehended and taken to the Behavioural Ward of Dr D Orlando Smith Hospital for evaluation.

Both the female victim and the person who came to her aid received injuries in the scuffle. At least three females reported being grabbed or nearly grabbed by a known mentally ill male over the last two weeks.

Two of the incidents were in the Road Town area and another was at Long Bay, Beef Island. Over a week ago, a male destroyed the windscreens of 26 vehicles parked in the DOSH parking lot with a stick.

He is presently under observation at the Behavioural Ward of the hospital. A few days later, the owner of another three vehicles found motor oil thrown on their vehicles while parked adjacent to Republic Bank.

While charges cannot be brought against persons confirmed to be mentally ill by law, the RVIPF is asking that persons report any such incidents immediately so the individual can be apprehended.

Persons should also be watchful of the environs. RVIPF reported a rise in such incidents in August of 2021.

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21 Comments

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  1. Smugglers Cove says:

    And I hope that the entire BVI and government knows about the mental vendor on Smugglers Cove beach threatening patrons with a cutlass.There was tourists present for this incident,they call the West End police. They did not arrest the vendor and the tourist left the beach. Do the maths BVI, if you are in a strange place, incident happen, police showed up and the perpetrator is not apprehended. Would you a stranger stay on that beach?
    The government removed that young man before, he needs to be permanently removed, with NO AND and BUTS PERIODT!!

    Like 11
    Dislike 1
  2. Carrot Bay says:

    So you mean a mental person cause harm to me, he is off the hook. Well sah!
    All this time the sitting government have no revised any laws other than Covid, so we in the woods with them too, LMAOOOOO!!

    Like 8
    Dislike 1
  3. All talk no action says:

    Let’s get our heads out the sand cause we are VERY SLACK when it come to the mentally ill….they are allowed to roam about the place and box you down, and they cannot be changed cause what??? They’re crazy!!! Smh I pray for the day one of them mess with the wrong person and get their ass handed to them

  4. opposition says:

    VIP stress

    Like 1
    Dislike 1
  5. Residence for Mentally Challenged? says:

    Is there a residence for the mentally challenged on Tortola? If not, a modest home may be available.

    • Residence says:

      Some non-belongers built a modest home with plenty of land, in a remote area of Tortola. They’ve had an unthinkable experience with neighbors, and have been considering how to dispose of the property. It is beautiful, but they don’t feel it would be appropriate to sell and pass their problems on to others. If there is a need for such a residence for the mentally challenged (or other, similar charity), perhaps they would be interested. Who should I suggest they contact? They appear to be very motivated.

  6. genius says:

    wha is mental health doing about all of this. it ad a time they were going around and making sure these persons received they annual mental shots. what is going on and the law cant bring justice because of their mental Status.

    Like 2
    Dislike 2
  7. PERHAPS says:

    the lady who’s on every board , can help

  8. @ RESIDENTS says:

    perhaps the lady who’s on every board , can help

  9. cgb says:

    What about A** in cgb? always acting up and violating? Turning tourist away? No peace? No justice? Police know and do nothing nothing at all?

  10. Tola says:

    Some morning I driving home that springette fella with this big knife like he was going off on the side walk. Them family need get them off the street.

  11. Love BVI says:

    Well stop smoking weed you idiots . Weed and other drugs lead to mental heath issues PERIOD

    Like 4
    Dislike 4
  12. 1st district original says:

    @ Smugglers Cove, as a resident of the 1st district, I have inquired at Trade for a license to food vendor at Smugglers in 2019. Their answer ” NO TRADE LICENCES ARE BEING ISSUED FOR SMUGGLERS COVE BEACH”. Spoke to the pirate who is holding the lease for we the people’s land at Smugglers, from the previous winding road administration, “he is the only one there because he is providing a service!”. We BVILANDERS are our own problems. Wrote a letter and hand delivered to the district representative, still waiting for a responce of acknowledgement or convo about the letter. Maybe, I will get ah visit this talking season. As a voter, NOT interested, sold off my equipment for that project and moved on, DONE!!.

    Like 6
    Dislike 1
  13. Theo says:

    If they start locking up the mentally ill in the BVI, there won’t be anyone left to run the economy of the territory!

  14. Mental says:

    I guess only mental people can commit crimes and get away with them. They happen in VG too, because they thief clothes from my line, police say they can’t do anything about it. Whenever I commit a crime, I’m pleading insanity (mentall ill) to get off too.

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