A robbery victim is calling on members of the public for help to recover his national identification card.

Timothy Tyson Nicholas was robbed of two bags when he was approached by a group of about seven males in Castries city last night.

Reports are that the hotel cook was robbed as he stood with a female co-worker on the street side after leaving work. They were not harmed and nothing was taken from the female.

The items stolen include a knife set, $100, bank cards and his national ID.

If you find the cards, especially the national ID, please contact his sister at 460-5895

POLICE PRESS RELEASE - Police officers attached to the Babonneau Police Station are investigating the circumstances surrounding the fatal shooting of 42-year-old Julian “Jileure” Isidore of Cacao, Babonneau.

About 5:30 a.m. on Monday, September 29, 2014, officers received information that Isidore was discovered lying on the road at Fond Cannie, Babonneau. He appeared to have sustained a gunshot wound to the head.

Isidore was pronounced dead on the scene by Dr. Stephen King and was transported to the mortuary of Victoria Hospital.

No one has been arrested in relation to this homicide. If anyone has information that can assist with the investigation of this homicide, please contact the Babonneau Police Station at telephone number 456-4120 or the nearest police station.

This is the 25th homicide recorded for 2014.

Alphonse, who also uses the name Kervin Alfred, is still on the run.

One of two men who escaped from the Richfond Police Station in Dennery over the weekend has been recaptured.

McQuard Alexander, 32, also known as C Code, of La Caye, Dennery was recaptured at about 10:00 last night, Sunday, Sept. 28 at the junction of La Caye, Dennery.

Alexander and Kevin Alphonse, 27, also known as Kervin Alfred, of Deniere Riviere, Dennery, escaped lawful custody between 10:30 and 11:45  a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 27. The men escaped by damaging the cell door.

Alexander and Alfred were among five prisoners on remand at the station when the breakout occurred, reliable sources say.

Alexander was recently remanded for possession of two rounds of ammunition and is a suspect in a recent shooting incident, while Alphonse was remanded for breaking into a house.

“Both prisoners had appeared before the Second District Court in Dennery on Friday, September 26, 2014 and were remanded to the Bordelais Correctional Facilty. Alexander was charged with possession of ammunition whereas Alphonse was charged with stealing from dwelling house. At the time of the escape, the prisoners were on commitment warrants and were to be transferred to the Bordelais Correctional Facility,” police said in a press release today.

McQuard was recaptured in La Caye on Sunday.

“Kevin Alphonse is still at large….. If anyone has information that can assist in the recapturing of Kevin Alphonse should contact the Richfond Police Station at telephone number 456-3690 or the nearest police station,” police said.

A female allegedly responsible for the dumping the body of a baby boy in Ravine Chabot, Castries on August 21, was arrested for a second time and officially charged.

This was confirmed today, September 29 with Police Press Officer Aniel Innocent

According to Innocent, due to the extent of the matter the identity of the woman cannot be disclosed at this time.

The mother is suspected to be in her early 20’s. She was admitted to the hospital after she had been experiencing complication in relations to the alleged abortion.

She was subsequently discharged from the hospital and was assisting police with their investigations.
The baby was discovered in a black plastic bag in the community.

The baby was transported to Victoria Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

A post mortem examination conducted on the body of Lucius Francis of Rockhall, Marchand, on Monday, September 22 revealed that he died from hemorrhagic shock secondary to stab wounds, Police Press Officer Aniel Innocent has confirmed.

Francis, 27, died after he was stabbed in Patterson’s Gap, Castries around 1:30 a.m on September 20.

It is alleged that Francis was stabbed during a fight with a friend of a relative. The incident took place near the home of the victim’s father.

According to police reports, Francis sustained multiple stab wounds about his body and was transported to the Victoria Hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries.

Francis was an employee of Pan American Life Insurance Group.

Vernon Francois.

Commissioner of Police Vernon Francois and other high ranking officials of the Royal St. Lucia Police Force (RSLPF) met with educators, police officers and a few business owners in the city today, to discuss the ongoing issue of loitering and indecent behaviour being portrayed by school students.

The top cop said the emergency meeting was necessary, because it has been an ongoing one and requires a solution.

Francois said that all stakeholders should have an input in helping to reduce or stop the loitering, which most times lead to criminal behaviour.

He told the gathering that a number of school-aged children are known to be loitering in Castries and entering stores and businesses.

Francois said the RSLPF believes that trend is worrying and this type of behaviour can lead to stealing and poses a major threat to city businesses.

Francois told the meeting that a research was done regarding the issues a few years back, by the Community Relations Branch of the RSLPF and a few recommendations were made. One of them was to increase police presence in the affected areas, starting at 3:00.p.m daily.

The team had also recommended that there be greater public awareness about the issue and plans should be made to amend the Education Act, to allow principals to punish students who loiter.

Speaking on suggestions that were made to have a curfew, the police chief said that will not be the best option. He explained that it would mean police will have to arrest and charge students, which is something he is not too keen on implementing that initiative.

The police plans to continue to dialogue with stakeholders and hopeful come up with a plan to address the issue.

Alfred

One of two men who escaped the Richfond Police Station lockup in Dennery over the weekend had given the police a wrong name.

Police Information Officer Aniel Innocent said Kevin Alphonse was the name given but further investigations revealed that the escapee’s real name is Davidson Alfred.

“He gave the wrong name to the police. He is 27 and has had previous convictions,” Innocent said.

Alfred is still on the run after he, along with McQuard Alexander, 32, also known as C Code, of La Caye, Dennery escaped  lawful custody between 10:30 and 11:45  a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 27.

Alexander as recaptured at about 10:00 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 28 at the junction of La Caye, Dennery.

The hunt is now on for Alfred who is described as 5 feet 10 inches tall; slim built, has brown eyes and carry his hair in dreads.

Police said his dreads are about 24 inches long and he’s believed to be from Deniere Riviere, Dennery.

“If anyone has information that can assist in the recapturing of Alfred should contact the Richfond Police Station at telephone number 456-3690 or 999. Persons are asked to be extremely cautious when approaching the suspect. You are advised to call the police upon sighting him,” police said.

Alexander was recently remanded for possession of two rounds of ammunition and is a suspect in a recent shooting incident, while Alfred was remanded for breaking into a house.

At the time of the escape, the prisoners were on commitment warrants and were to be transferred to the Bordelais Correctional Facility, police said.

Vernon Francois.

The escape of two inmates from the Richfond Police Station last weekend has raised many questions on the security measures at the lock-ups and about police vigilance.

In addressing this issue, Police Commissioner Vernon Francois told the media yesterday that if there were additional security, it would have prevented the escape.

“So really this is just human error. In some other cases we have to look at the configuration of police stations,” François explained.

The police chief told media operatives that the lock-ups here are safe, especially since hundreds of prisoners are kept for a long time and have never escaped before.

However, François said that he too is equally troubled by the recent escape.

“Whenever we have a breach in security at our police station it is an area of concern for us, but it is something we are looking at, to see what went wrong or what caused it to happen,” he stated.

According to him, there is always a possibility that a prisoner may escape. “There have more sophisticated facilities where it has happened, “he added.

However, he promised to review the security procedures at that particular police station and possibly others.

“We will find a way and means of preventing it from happening,” he said.

François also used the opportunity to urge police officials across the island to remain on high alert and be more vigilant.

The two inmates escaped the Richfond Police Station lock-up in Dennery on Saturday, September 27 by breaking open a cell door.

They were discovered missing at around 11:30 a.m. that same day. They were were among five prisoners on remand at the station when the breakout occurred.

At the time of the escape, they were both on commitment warrants and were to be transferred to the Bordelais Correctional Facility.

One of them was recently remanded for possession of two rounds of ammunition and is a suspect in a recent shooting incident. The other man was remanded for breaking into a house.

The police was successful in recapturing one of the escapees on Sunday, Sept. 28 in La Caye, Dennery. The other suspect is still at large.

The police press office revealed that the suspect on the run had given the police a wrong name, and had previous convictions.

This image was captured by a concerned motorist at the Bonne Terre-Mochy gap in October 2013.

Sergeant of Police Leontius Joseph of the Central Traffic Department said persons in the habit of hitching a ride in open back vehicles should desist from this practice.

Joseph’s comment comes in light of a recent accident in which a man fell from a pickup in Babonneau and died five days later in hospital.

Joseph told St Lucia News Online (SNO) today, October 2, it is unlawful to have persons traveling at the back of vehicles without having proper security measures in place and seating arrangements.

“The law requires that when you have an open back vehicle like a truck, it is for the sole purpose of carrying goods and the use of the vehicle is for goods, and of course that is what it is intended for,” he explained.

However, Joseph advised that if drivers want to have persons riding at the back of their vehicles, provision must be made for that to happen.

“Permission must be granted from the Ministry of Infrastructure and would require the driver to put proper seats in place, before he or she can begin to transport persons in the back,” he explained.

The traffic official said persons engaging in such acts can be arrested and charged if required security measures are not in place, but noted however that the police force have expressed a level of leniency with persons over the years.

“We have used our discretion because persons in remote areas rely on such transport as a means to get home and we are most times lenient with persons depending on the circumstances. However, we have arrested a number of persons over the years,” he added.

Joseph said persons who are transporting people at the back of their vehicles should seek the advice of the authorities and ensure that it is done legally. He said it may be hazardous to life.

The most recent victim, Ernest Alexander, 39, also known as Oleon of Fond Assau, Babonneau, a father of two, passed away yesterday, October 1 in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Victoria Hospital.

Alexander suffered serious head injuries when he fell from the pickup around 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 27. The vehicle was heading to Cacoa from a funeral reception at the Babonneau Multi-Purpose Centre when Alexander fell.

Police have managed to recapture the second escaped prisoner, Davidson Alfred, 27, at about 7:00 a.m. today.

Police Press Officer Aniel Innocent told St. Lucia News Online (SNO) that Alfred was at his girlfriend’s home in La Pointe, Dennery at the time of the arrest.

He was detained and returned to prison by the Special Services Unit, the Drug Squad and officers attached to the Richfond Police Station, Innocent confirmed.

The prisoner returned to police custody in a peaceful manner. The girlfriend will face charges of aiding and abetting a fugitive from the law.

Alfred and Maquaid Alexander, another prisoner, escaped the Richfond Police Station lock-up in Dennery on Saturday, September 27, by breaking open a cell door.

They were discovered missing at around 11:30 a.m. that same day. They were among five prisoners on remand at the station when the breakout occurred.

At the time of the escape, both men were on commitment warrants and were to be transferred to the Bordelais Correctional Facility.

Alfred was remanded for breaking into a house and had provided the police with a false name. Meanwhile, Alexander was recently remanded for possession of two rounds of ammunition and is a suspect in a recent shooting incident.

The police was successful in recapturing Alexander on Sunday, Sept. 28 in La Caye, Dennery.

A blue and silver 1996 Escudo (PJ5861) was stolen from a residence in Ravine Chabot, Castries between last evening at 5:00 and this morning at 7:30. Persons are asked to contact the nearest police station if they have any information that would assist in the discovery of the vehicle.

Police have charged a fireman accused of stealing from a patient.

Officials of the Royal St. Lucia Police Force (RSLPF) have confirmed that the fireman was charged this morning.

The fireman has been identified as Glen Joseph, 28, of Ciceron.

He was arrested for allegedly stealing a woman’s gold wedding ring, on Friday last.

Reports reaching St. Lucia News Online (SNO) indicates that the woman was picked up by an ambulance and transported to a hospital after she had collapsed in Castries.

The woman reported losing her wedding ring after she was picked up by the ambulance. She accused Joseph of stealing the item. Joseph was responsible for taking her to the hospital.

A report was made with the Fire Service and the Criminal Investigations Department of the Royal St. Lucia Police Force (RSLPF).

The fireman, who is attached to the St. Lucia Fire Service Headquarters, was subsequently arrested.

Andrew Surage

A St. Lucian national was fatally shot during a robbery in Toronto, Canada this morning around 5:40.

Dead is 47-year-0ld Andrew Surage, also known as McKenny, who is originally from Belle Vue, Vieux Fort.

An eyewitness told St. Lucia News Online (SNO) that she was leaving an after-hours bar at the back of a plaza with Surage and another male friend when the incident occurred.

The eyewitness said while walking with Surage, she heard the other male friend, who was walking some distance behind them, shouting for help. Surage responded and met the male friend being robbed of his chain. Surage reportedly shouted at the robber who was observed hitting the male friend.

The robbery suspect left and re-appeared minutes later, firing shots in their direction, hitting Surage in the torso.

The eyewitness said Surage died in her arms.

According to Canadian media reports, police have detained a suspect who has been described as a white man of medium height, with a medium build, who wore a light-coloured jacket, dark pants and shoes, a baseball hat and a hoodie.

Andrew Surage (inset) was shot and killed during a robbery.

Hartford, CONNECTICUT – A Hartford man who sexually assaulted a 5-year-old girl, then fled to St. Lucia after being confronted about the assault, was sentenced Monday to 15 years in prison and 15 years of special parole.

Jonathan Elliot, 39, pleaded guilty to first-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a minor just as his case was to go to trial in August.

His victim, now 12, has a supportive family and was ready to testify against the man who assaulted her, Prosecutor Thomas Garcia told Judge Joan K. Alexander.

Elliot’s lawyers, Brian Russell and Richard Gordon, presented Alexander with a sheaf of letters written in support of Elliot. But Garcia said the evidence against Elliot was what mattered.

Because the girl immediately disclosed the assault to her mother, the child was immediately taken for a medical examination and Elliot’s DNA was recovered from her underwear and from her body, Garcia said.

A significant prison sentenced was appropriate, Garcia said.

Russell told the judge that Elliot was asking that the victim’s family forgive him and pray for him as he went off to prison. Elliot would spend a significant amount of time behind bars, he said. And he sought credit for Elliot for his decision, albeit late in the process, to plead guilty and spare the child the need to testify at trial.

Gordon noted that Elliot had no prior criminal record and had led a productive life up until the incident.

Elliot said, “I’m deeply sorry for what happened. I ask for forgiveness.”

Alexander told Elliot that the child’s mother entrusted her daughter to him while she worked. “You committed the ultimate violation of that trust,” she said.

Alexander praised the victim for her “enormous amount of strength” and the girl’s mother for efforts to support and help her daughter deal with the impact of the crime.

After the hearing, an angry Garcia, responding to the defense attorneys’ efforts to get credit for Elliot for not forcing the child to testify, said: “It would have been far more considerate not to molest her in the first place rather than spare her a trial.”

It is unlikely Elliot will spend any time on special parole. Once he completes his sentence, it is expected he will be deported from the U.S., Alexander said.

Hartford police pursued Elliot to St. Lucia and he was returned to the U.S. to face the charges.

Murder victim Andrew Surage. (Facebook photo)

TORONTO - Andrew Surage, who lost his life during an apparent robbery on Sunday, is being remembered by friends and co-workers as a “dedicated father and husband” who was “always happy.”

“He was the kind of guy who could brighten up any room, any day, at any time when he walked in,” Surage’s boss, Doug Watson, said on Monday. “He loved life, he had fun in everything he did. We’re all going to miss that very much.”

Surage, 47, had worked as senior route manager for Interstate Batteries in Brampton for the past 10 years. Watson, an operations manager with the company, knew him as both a co-worker and a friend.

Surage was killed after being shot multiple times outside an after-hours club around 5:45 a.m. Sunday.

Toronto Police Det.-Sgt. Graham Gibson has said the victim was with his friends at The Captain’s Social Club. He was shot while leaving.

“It appears that there might have been a robbery as they exited the place and a brief struggle,” Gibson told reporters at the scene on Sunday.

Originally from St. Lucia, Surage came to Canada as a young adult, eventually becoming a Canadian citizen. He leaves behind a wife and three children, including a son around six, Watson said.

Another co-worker, Joe Kiss, said he knew Surage for eight years. They became good friends, he said, exchanging texts after work and on weekends.

Surage was no trouble maker, simply someone who “always went out to do fun things,” Kiss said.

“I’ve gone on vacation with him before, we all went to San Francisco back in April, guy’s just a lot of fun,” he said.

Both Watson and Kiss described Surage as the kind of man who would stand up for a friend.

Police have said they’re looking for a suspect described as a white man with average build, wearing a light jacket with dark arms, a dark ball cap, dark pants, and dark shoes.

“I do hope the person that did this comes forward and finds resolution to what they’ve done,” Watson said.

Police are urging witnesses to contact them by calling 416-808-7400 or anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 416-222-TIPS (8477).

Alfred.

Cases of prisoners providing false identities have been a norm for the Royal St. Lucia Police Force (RSLPF), Assistant Public Relations Officer Tamara Charles-Laure has admitted.

Charles-Laure comment comes in light of the recent case involving a prisoner, Kevin Alphonse, who had escaped lawful custody from the Richfond Police Station on September 27.

Upon further investigations, following his escape it was realised that his real name is Davidson Alfred.

The RSLPF public relations official told St Lucia News Online (SNO) in an interview today that the police force have come across a number of prisoners, who provided the police with incorrect names over the years.

“A lot of people have done that. I know of a lot of persons we have charged with the wrong name on their case files and it’s only in the court the magistrate would realize that the person had given a wrong name, especially when it’s a repeat offender,” she explained.

Charles- Laure said that upon arrest, if provided with a National Identification Card (ID) then the correct identity would be established, but in other cases the prisoners are taken at face value.

“When you get to the police station a search is done and you ask them for an ID card. Some of them would give you one and you would see the proper name. Some would say they don’t have an ID card. You have no reason to doubt the person’s name,” she added.

The verification of a prisoner’s identity, she noted, is usually done in the court. “We don’t do a second verification. If we have already asked you for an ID card then your name would already be there and if you don’t and have given your name, then I am believing that is your name.”

The police official said that it has been a challenge to verify prisoners identities and the police force have in the past relied on family members to verify the true name of these prisoners.

Charles-Laure explained that the manner in which the force collects information is standard protocol and is used by all police stations island-wide. “I worked for CID for a while and that is how we did it there,” she told SNO.

If an incorrect name of a prisoner is given and this is corrected, then police records will usually reflect those changes.

The firefighter accused of stealing a patient’s gold wedding ring was granted bail, after he made an appearance in court today.

Glen Joseph, 28, of Ciceron was charged with theft ans was required to pay $800 in cash or provide surety. The Castries Central fireman was also asked to surrender all his travel documents.

He is also required to report to the Beat and Patrol department of the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF) every Wednesday.

Joseph was arrested for allegedly stealing a woman’s gold wedding ring, on Friday last.

Reports are that the woman was picked up by an ambulance and transported to a hospital after she had collapsed in Castries.

The woman reported losing her wedding ring after she was picked up by the ambulance. She accused Joseph of stealing the item. Joseph was responsible for taking her to the hospital.

A report was made with the Fire Service and the Criminal Investigations Department of the Royal St. Lucia Police Force (RSLPF).

The fireman was subsequently arrested and charged. Joseph will make another court appearance in November.

Scene of the stabbing.

A young male was stabbed in Castries this morning.

Reports are that the stabbing occurred around 10:30 a.m. at the Soufriere bus stop and the victim, Junior ‘Fat Boy’ Augustin of Agard, Castries, collapsed near the Marketing Board. He was reportedly stabbed in the chest area.

He was transported to Victoria Hospital via ambulance. The victim is said to be the son of a prominent tyre repair shop owner in San Souci, Castries.

Police are on the scene investigating.

The body of an unidentified male was discovered by police in Fond St. Jacques, Soufriere today.

The body bore one gunshot wound to the abdomen. It is believed that the man was shot and left in the forest for close to three days.

Police had searched the area earlier for a missing farmer, Victor Jn Phillip, who they later discovered with a gunshot wound to his head.

A group of residents from the community had joined the police and one man spotted the body of the unidentified man a few hours later. The police were alerted and another team was dispatched to the area to collect evidence at the crime scene.

The body was removed from the forest around 6 p.m. today and transported to Rambally’s Funeral Parlour.

Police officials spoke with members of the community and urged them to be on the lookout for anyone who might be suspicious and to report it. Members of the community believe that the killer might be someone outside of Soufriere.

Residents are under the impression that the killer might have crossed the river, separating Soufriere from Choiseul, to enter the farm. It is speculated that there is a marijuana farm in the forest. Residents believe that Jn Phillip and the unidentified man may have trespassed the farm and were shot and killed as a result.

The dead farmer’s son, Keran Jn Phillip had told St. Lucia News Online (SNO) that his father had told him that he saw some strange men walking around the area.

Keran said his father had suggested that the men may have planted marijuana in the forest, but he never interfered with them or confronted them.

Residents are concerned about the situation and are calling on the police to find the killer so that the community can return to normalcy.

Bandits invaded the Jacmel Presbytery Church, robbing the house of worship of an undisclosed sum of cash, a computer, four cases of drinks and other items.

The church was last used on Sunday, October 5, for regular church services.

The discovery was however made on Tuesday October 7, when members of the Church choir turned up for practice and found the place ransacked with a number of items missing.

Members of the church said they believe the burglars might have gained access through a window.

One member told St. Lucia News Online (SNO) that the church was broken into a few years ago. The Parish priest was utilising the building at that time.