BVI News

Six people hurt in random attacks since January

Commissioner of Police Michael Matthews

A considerable number of random assaults on individuals within the territory in the first month of 2021 has raised major concerns with the Commissioner of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF), Michael Mathews.

Matthews made his concerns known in a recent media release by the RVIPF, as he termed the assaults as indiscriminate attacks which occurred while persons were on their jobs and, in some instances, in their neighbourhoods.

“It is never right for one person to inflict injury on another even in the heat of disputes. However, to subject another to injury just because they are carrying out their duties or worse with no apparent provocation is uncivilised,” Commissioner Matthews said.

“The public has a right to expect civility and restraint in our streets and workplaces. Our community-wide response needs to be a unified condemnation for such acts,” he added.

Incidences revealed

According to the media release, a total of six incidents has been reported for the month of January so far. 

Half of those reported incidents occurred in just the first week.

“In the first week of January, a bank security officer reported being assaulted by a customer who was denied entry for not wearing a mask. And on two separate nights, two bar attendants reported being spat on and then stabbed with a knife by the same perpetrator at the same bar in East End. Leonard Frett, 61, of Vanterpool Estate was arrested and charged for wounding in that matter,” The RVIPF stated.

“In the second week of the month, a customer outside a bank on deCastro Street was injured with a stone thrown by an unknown male across the street who was randomly spouting expletives and threats. The bank door was also damaged. She had to be treated at the Dr D. O. Smith Hospital for her injuries,” the RVIPF added.

Female officer also assaulted

The police also said one of their own officers was assaulted — while acting in the line of duty — by a male who was angered following the confiscation of his scooter.

“In this incident, Ronald Antoine, 22, of Greenland was charged with two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, damaging property, resisting arrest, assault on police and escaping lawful custody,” the police reported.

In the meantime, as recently as Sunday, January 24, another female resident reported that she was struck in her face while disposing of her garbage into a nearby community dumpster in the East End area.

According to the report, an unknown male approached the lady from a jeep and simply walked up to her and hit her in the face.

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13 Comments

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  1. Joke says:

    This is a joke.
    This is what Matthew making fuss over when he come from a country that gave the world Jack the Ripper!?
    But the agenda is to destroy the BVI reputation so the UK can take over. And BVI News helping them.

    Like 5
    Dislike 36
    • @ Joke says:

      Sooo Agree, he need to get his officers to work. It takes them 2 hours to arrive at a reported incident or crime. Yet it takes 1 hour to travel from one end of the island to the other. They are being caught with large amounts of drugs and many of ‘his’ officers are untrained and completely corrupt. Anywhere else the Commissioners would be fired, but instead the UK praises them, and put down our elected officials.

      Like 2
      Dislike 9
    • @Joke says:

      Talking froth! We don’t care what’s happening in the U.K. We don’t want it here. Thank you, Commissioner for letting us know so we can voice our concerns to our elected officials. We NEED a place to put people who are a danger to others in this community.

      Like 12
      Dislike 2
    • What!!! says:

      Jack the ripper was in London 1888, haw does that relate to anything happening in our Virgin Islands in 2021 ????

      Like 20
      • Hmm says:

        The point is you are more likely to be mugged in the uk in the day than these islands at night. Night people catch rides with strangers with no issues, none. Six random assaults is not news and the tourist watch these sites.

        Like 5
        Dislike 8
    • Well sah says:

      Boy Joke you are so right. They behaving like Fox News.

      Like 1
      Dislike 4
      • mmmario says:

        To Well Sah…So b/c the UK has hooligans, is ok for the BVI to have thugs running the streets and the commissioner should look the other way? Don’t be a Jack Ass.

    • mmmario says:

      JOKE – You are a the joke. What happens in the UK is irrelevant to what is happening in the BVI. Don’t be a Jack Ass.

  2. Lawless says:

    Get that fat man off the streets or because he’s said to be mentally ill, its ok for him to walk around town and assult women??

    Like 16
    • mmmario says:

      The fat boy will continue to do it until he finds someone like me. Nothing that a good slap that send him to the ground can’t cure.

  3. Stress says:

    BVI is not known for random crime/ acts of voidance. Not a laughing matter. Shows the people are stressed. 2020 was a rough year, and 2021 is not looking much better.

  4. SMH says:

    Until someone who doesn’t really know about his mentality or just had enough of his attacks and shut him down. Then you will hear the Publuc’s Outcry for Justice. This guy should have been picked up and sent off to an Institution in the UK.

  5. asia says:

    Sir you meant well, but you have been bamboozled by your ******, a highly questionable figure who the most corruption came under his watch, what a shame, but monkey see and monkey do.

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