Thieves Exchange Gunfire with Seine Bight Police

Chester Williams

A daring shootout between a pair of armed thieves and police officers responding to a robbery in progress in Seine Bight Village has raised serious concerns about citizen security on the Placencia peninsula, a prime tourist destination.  On Thursday night, both men showed up at a beachfront resort and were in the process of robbing the guests when law enforcement officers also arrived at the location.  The sudden police presence may have the foiled the robbery, but the thieves did not flee the scene without an exchange of gunfire with the cops.  It’s an alarming incident that couldn’t have happened at a more inopportune time, at the height of the tourism season.  Commissioner of Police Chester Williams shared additional details earlier today.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“Yes, I know that last night, police were called to a particular resort on the peninsula in Seine Bight.  Upon arrival, they observed two male persons standing in front of a beach house.  Those persons were approached by police and immediately upon doing so, they fired a series of shots at the police.  The police returned fire and the persons ran along the beach.  They were again pursued by the police during which more shots were fired by them and the police returning fire.  Nobody was injured during the exchange of gunfire.  Initial investigations later revealed that four persons, two armed with firearms and two armed with edged tools entered the beach house where some tourists were staying and they were questioning them about the owner of the house and money.  Nothing was stolen other than a cell phone because while that was happening, that was when the police arrived and so the police may have disrupted them from carrying out what they wanted to do.  We are looking for a particular suspect at this time to see if that person would be able to give us some information or lead that could take us in making some arrests in respect of that matter.”

Reporter

“Sir, this is a very alarming incident, height of tourist season.  We know that that area is a tourist haven and it will create aftershocks and fear.  What are you all able to do to protect the coast because all these are the high-value, much sought after tourist destinations.”

Chester Williams

“Well I am sure that the tourists who were staying there, as well as any potential tourist would be happy to know that the police response was prompt and the police response also disrupted these persons from carrying out what they wanted to do. While these persons were being pursued by the police on the beach, they were able to get inside a skiff and they took off.  So they came onboard a vessel and they left on that same vessel.  So we’re also looking to see if we could find that vessel that was used in this latest act.”