The man with the stove in the back of a police vehicle shortly after the burglary.
If you’re a thief and reading this, and believe any of the two Best Buy stores in Castries are easy to burglarise, think again.
Based on history you will most likely get killed or arrested.
The latest incident occurred this morning, shortly after midnight, at the Bridge Street branch.
A Morne Du Don man, who has confessed to stealing before without getting caught, thought it was his lucky day. He smashed the right side of the store’s front door glass. No alarms went off because the business has none.
The man stole a four-burner gas stove valued at $600 and made his way across Castries, heading home with the rewards of his hard work.
However, his luck ran out: Police nabbed him in the vicinity of the court house with the stove.
How did they respond so quickly?
“They got a call from someone who was passing in a vehicle,” a police source said.
But the thief was not the smartest of criminals. He told police about another crime he pulled off: the theft of two laptops from Courts. Police are investigating the authenticity of this voluntary confession.
A company source told St. Lucia News Online this morning that the police contacted them at about 1:30 am about the break-in so they could secure the store.
This morning’s incident was the third within a two-month period. Late last year, the Bridge Street store was the scene of an attempted break-in. The show room glass was broken but nothing was stolen. Apparently someone scared them off.
However a week later, the thieves were determined to carry out their Christmas shopping. They tried their luck at the Jeremie Street branch and were successful. Two LCD televisions, some cash and a cell phone were stolen.
The suspects were however caught and are now on bail, according to the official.
While three persons have been arrested for breaking into the business, another was not so lucky on August 18, 2012. He was shot dead by police.
The police report went like this: “On Saturday, 18th August 2012, about 3:15 am, officers attached to the Criminal Investigations Department, while on patrol, responded to a report of burglary in progress. Information received led officers to Best Buy store situated on Bridge Street, Castries. The officers proceeded to the said store, gaining access through an opening on the roof. Once inside they encountered the burglar who wielded an object and launched an attack on them. Being armed, the lead officer discharged one round to the lower extremities of the attacker, hitting him on the left leg. The burglar was later identified as Lane Labadie of Mary Ann Street, Castries. He was taken to Victoria Hospital where he was treated but succumbed to his injury.”
The company official believes the stores in Castries are being targeted. He said there have been no troubles with the Rodney Bay and Vieux Fort branches – as yet.
“Now I am looking at this as a target. It seems it is easy so we just have to reinforce our security,” the official said.
The company has security cameras but this has not been a deterrent, obviously.
“We have security cameras but no alarms. We have no burglar bars on Bridge Street but we have burglar bars Jeremie Street,” the official added.
Not even those have prevented the thieves from trying their luck.
“The police have suggested using shutters,” he said.
Hopefully this keeps them out.