“If you are going to make a citizen’s arrest, you should turn them over to police”
Two others arrested in connection with Mackey Street robbery and robberies in northeast NP
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Armed robberies have increased in recent weeks, confirmed Assistant Commissioner of Police Solomon Cash, who insisted that members of the public not take the law into their own hands.
In an interview with Eyewitness News on Friday, Cash assured that investigators are looking into the uptick and have made significant leads in solving those cases.
He said seven people are currently assisting police in several armed robbery cases, particularly those that occurred in northeastern New Providence, such as Kemp Road, Village Road and Mackey Street.
Cash warned members of the public to remain vigilant as they traverse the streets and urged Bahamians to call police if they notice anything suspicious.
Pointing to videos recently circulated on social media showing three males — suspected of a robbery and rape that occurred on Mackey Street on Wednesday — tied up and being beaten by members of the community, Cash said while in the citizen’s arrest may have been in good faith, the action is still “wrong” and against the law.
One male from the video, a 17-year-old, presented himself to Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) suffering from major injuries, including a fractured right arm and several lacerations to the face and about the body.
He was arrested, but police still have not arrested the two other individuals from the video.
Cash said police believe the pair are also minors.
He said two additional individuals have been arrested and are also believed to be involved in the matter, as well as other armed robberies in northeastern New Providence.
“What I want to say to members of the public is if you have information as to who a possible suspect is, the right way to go about it, even if you are going to make a citizen’s arrest, you should turn them over to police,” Cash said.
“You should not take it upon yourself and inflict harm on people. That’s a no-no because you are going to be held responsible for the injuries to those individuals. We want to discourage that.
“Yes, you acted in good faith by identifying who the perpetrators were, but you acted wrong and violently towards these persons.
“You have no rights to arrest, tie up people and interrogate them and then release them with all type of physical harm.”
Asked whether police intend to arrest those members of the community who carried out the citizen’s arrest, Cash said: “Once the information is available to us as to how these suspects came about their injuries, we will investigate that thoroughly and we will bring those persons into custody and speak to them about their actions.
“Everything must be justifiable; you just cannot go and make a citizen’s arrest, hog-tie them, beat them, interrogate them violently and then release them without even bringing the information to the attention of the police. We cannot encourage that.”
He said “the right way to go about it” is for the public to bring information to police or even make a citizen’s arrest without inflicting harm to suspects.
Cash is only saying what he needs to say. Yes 2 wrongs dont make a right, but people getting tired of being harmed and robbed. Then calling the police when you have red handed, the Police do not come. So what you thinks going to happen with an angry crowd……..