The Tribune

POLICE are urging residents to stay vigilant and take precautions to remain safe following a string of armed robberies in recent weeks.

Superintendent Antonio Levarity of the Criminal Investigations Department’s Armed Robbery Section issued the advisory yesterday, urging people to stay alert and remain aware of their surroundings, particularly in driveways, parking lots, beaches and other isolated areas.

He also advised residents against carrying large sums of cash and encouraged them to keep valuables, including expensive jewellery and electronic devices, out of public view. Anyone confronted by an armed robber was urged to avoid sudden movements and never attempt to disarm the suspect.

“Remember, your life is far more valuable than any material possession,” Supt Levarity said, encouraging Bahamians to remain vigilant and take precautions to make themselves less vulnerable to criminals.

The warning follows a series of armed robberies in the country.

Yesterday, police arrested three people — a 21-year-old woman, a 21-year-old man and a 15-year-old boy — in connection with the theft of a man’s cash and other personal belongings from a home on Wilson Tract on Sunday.

A day earlier, a gunman allegedly sprayed three men with a chemical substance before stealing their vehicle, which contained a large quantity of cash, electronic devices and official documents.

According to police, a man was seated inside his vehicle preparing to transport two other men to the airport when an armed suspect approached and allegedly sprayed a chemical substance into the occupants’ faces.

The suspect then ordered the men out of the vehicle and instructed them to lie on the ground. The victims complied, after which the suspect drove off in the complainant's white 2013 Nissan X-Trail, licence plate AF4450.

Investigations are continuing.