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Women car thieves
Police confirm more of the fairer sex robbing motorists too
By HG HELPS Editor-at-Large helpsh@jamaicaobserver.com
Sunday, November 15, 2009
POLICE statistics would show that men are the main culprits when it comes to stealing motor vehicles.
FORD... it's not just cars, but laptop computers and other things are being stolen
However, women have joined in the act and have now become formidable as they fleece motorists, some of them unsuspecting, who often become overwhelmed by the charm of the fairer sex and fall into a trap.
"We know that there are women out there who hold up motorists and take away their cars, get the motorists to take them somewhere as if they are seeking a ride home and then ambush them, and also break into cars and drive them away," one member of the police high command told the Sunday Observer.
The senior officer who opted not to be identified because he was not authorised to speak publicly on the matter, said that the female involvement in stealing vehicles was on the rise.
"There are some women who are more dangerous than the men and we have been getting several reports on the matter of women stealing vehicles.
"Some of the women are like gun hawks. Most of the time they are the ones who go up front, while the men hide nearby and join the action shortly after," he said.
The officer said that the Constabulary was also looking at a growing trend of women stealing cars and using them as transportation to hold up business places, especially bars.
"We have also had reports of women and men holding up bars, using stolen vehicles," he said. "The women and men would steal vehicles, then drive into certain communities, mainly rural, and rob mainly bars, but also grocery shops too. When we check the description of the vehicles used, we find that they fit those that have been stolen."
One woman complained to the Sunday Observer in a letter last week that she foiled an attempt to rob her car, which was parked at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI).
"I parked my car and on my return less than 10 minutes later, my daughter heard my alarm honking... My car door was open and a lady was sitting around the driver's seat. We ran past the security post where about six or seven of them were standing and talking but didn't even pay any attention to our screams and shouting," she wrote.
"People, just be aware, female car thieves are working with the male thieves, as this does not arouse much suspicion," she cautioned other motorists.
Several cars parked at the University Hospital's car park have gone missing over the years, many of them never to be found.
An investigation by the Sunday Observer revealed that apart from the incident related by the woman at the University Hospital, female car thieves step up a gear in getting the vehicle of their choice.
There have been two known instances whereby women point guns at other women car owners, both held up inside parking lots as they exited major shopping areas.
In one of those incidents, the perpetrator walked up to the woman as she pushed her trolley toward her car door, asked for money to attend to a menstrual discomfort and poked a gun into the abdomen when she moved to assist her with her so-called problem.
That car, which was stolen close to three months ago, has still not been recovered.
"It was a frightening experience for her and she had to go overseas to cool out and refocus," the victim's uncle disclosed to the Sunday Observer.
"She had no idea that someone who said that she had a problem getting stuff to assist with her period, would point a gun at her and take off with her car," the uncle said.
Women too, information obtained by the Sunday Observer showed, were skilled at using certain keys to break into cars, disable alarms and driving away with their booty.
"Some of the women, like the men that they often work with are so sophisticated that they have master keys that can open almost any door," another investigator told this tabloid.
"Even if they do not have master keys, they appear to have some level of training in auto electrical work that if they pick the lock, they can quickly enable the car, alarm or no alarm, and drive it away as if nothing happened," he said.
Head of the police Flying Squad, Superintendent Cornwall "Bigga" Ford said that he had heard of the practice.
The women, he said, normally operated in gangs and were often used up front to ward off unsuspecting victims.
"That happens. She is part of the gang. If these people are going out to rob and women are part of it, it lessens the fear once those to be robbed see women around.
"What we are saying to the people in communities like the Mona, Papine, Hope Pastures area where we have got several reports of robberies in recent weeks, is to call us if they see suspicious people.
"All they have to do is call us. Just call us nuh! We are getting paid to respond and when we respond we will make the place safer.
"From time to time we hear citizens say that they saw suspicious people, but they didn't call us.
"The festive season is here and I am appealing to people that if they see things like a car parked at their gate, they should not go in, but instead drive to the nearest police station or call 119," Ford said.
Ford who corroborated reports of more women being robbed, said: "In particular, the crime statistics in the areas like the universities, crimes like those have been on the increase. It's not just cars, but laptop computers and other things are being stolen. We have put in some extra patrols since the last two weeks and we are at the point of making a major breakthrough."
Police confirm more of the fairer sex robbing motorists too
By HG HELPS Editor-at-Large helpsh@jamaicaobserver.com
Sunday, November 15, 2009
POLICE statistics would show that men are the main culprits when it comes to stealing motor vehicles.
FORD... it's not just cars, but laptop computers and other things are being stolen
However, women have joined in the act and have now become formidable as they fleece motorists, some of them unsuspecting, who often become overwhelmed by the charm of the fairer sex and fall into a trap.
"We know that there are women out there who hold up motorists and take away their cars, get the motorists to take them somewhere as if they are seeking a ride home and then ambush them, and also break into cars and drive them away," one member of the police high command told the Sunday Observer.
The senior officer who opted not to be identified because he was not authorised to speak publicly on the matter, said that the female involvement in stealing vehicles was on the rise.
"There are some women who are more dangerous than the men and we have been getting several reports on the matter of women stealing vehicles.
"Some of the women are like gun hawks. Most of the time they are the ones who go up front, while the men hide nearby and join the action shortly after," he said.
The officer said that the Constabulary was also looking at a growing trend of women stealing cars and using them as transportation to hold up business places, especially bars.
"We have also had reports of women and men holding up bars, using stolen vehicles," he said. "The women and men would steal vehicles, then drive into certain communities, mainly rural, and rob mainly bars, but also grocery shops too. When we check the description of the vehicles used, we find that they fit those that have been stolen."
One woman complained to the Sunday Observer in a letter last week that she foiled an attempt to rob her car, which was parked at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI).
"I parked my car and on my return less than 10 minutes later, my daughter heard my alarm honking... My car door was open and a lady was sitting around the driver's seat. We ran past the security post where about six or seven of them were standing and talking but didn't even pay any attention to our screams and shouting," she wrote.
"People, just be aware, female car thieves are working with the male thieves, as this does not arouse much suspicion," she cautioned other motorists.
Several cars parked at the University Hospital's car park have gone missing over the years, many of them never to be found.
An investigation by the Sunday Observer revealed that apart from the incident related by the woman at the University Hospital, female car thieves step up a gear in getting the vehicle of their choice.
There have been two known instances whereby women point guns at other women car owners, both held up inside parking lots as they exited major shopping areas.
In one of those incidents, the perpetrator walked up to the woman as she pushed her trolley toward her car door, asked for money to attend to a menstrual discomfort and poked a gun into the abdomen when she moved to assist her with her so-called problem.
That car, which was stolen close to three months ago, has still not been recovered.
"It was a frightening experience for her and she had to go overseas to cool out and refocus," the victim's uncle disclosed to the Sunday Observer.
"She had no idea that someone who said that she had a problem getting stuff to assist with her period, would point a gun at her and take off with her car," the uncle said.
Women too, information obtained by the Sunday Observer showed, were skilled at using certain keys to break into cars, disable alarms and driving away with their booty.
"Some of the women, like the men that they often work with are so sophisticated that they have master keys that can open almost any door," another investigator told this tabloid.
"Even if they do not have master keys, they appear to have some level of training in auto electrical work that if they pick the lock, they can quickly enable the car, alarm or no alarm, and drive it away as if nothing happened," he said.
Head of the police Flying Squad, Superintendent Cornwall "Bigga" Ford said that he had heard of the practice.
The women, he said, normally operated in gangs and were often used up front to ward off unsuspecting victims.
"That happens. She is part of the gang. If these people are going out to rob and women are part of it, it lessens the fear once those to be robbed see women around.
"What we are saying to the people in communities like the Mona, Papine, Hope Pastures area where we have got several reports of robberies in recent weeks, is to call us if they see suspicious people.
"All they have to do is call us. Just call us nuh! We are getting paid to respond and when we respond we will make the place safer.
"From time to time we hear citizens say that they saw suspicious people, but they didn't call us.
"The festive season is here and I am appealing to people that if they see things like a car parked at their gate, they should not go in, but instead drive to the nearest police station or call 119," Ford said.
Ford who corroborated reports of more women being robbed, said: "In particular, the crime statistics in the areas like the universities, crimes like those have been on the increase. It's not just cars, but laptop computers and other things are being stolen. We have put in some extra patrols since the last two weeks and we are at the point of making a major breakthrough."
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