Over48-hours have passed since a brazen daylight robbery at Quantum Jewelers in Downtown, Nassau, but employees on that busy strip are said to still be shaken up over the incident.
Sales associates at surrounding jewelry stores, who wished to remain anonymous, told Eyewitness News Monday that they are in fear of their lives and called on police to beef up their patrol schedule for the area.
“The criminals are consistent and waiting on that opportunity,” one female sales associate said.
“The police also have to be consistent. They need to increase their patrols.”
According to police reports, shortly after 9:00 a.m Sunday, two men – dressed as females – robbed Quantum Jewelers of an undetermined amount of merchandise.
The culprits successfully escaped on foot, police said.
The doors at Quantum Jewelers were closed Monday.
In an attempt to speak with the owners or a representative, Eyewitness News knocked, but no one answered.
However, upon closer inspection, employees could be seen inside the business establishment, apparently conducting inventory checks.
A sales associate at a surrounding store said, “it’s mostly females on this strip who work at these businesses.”
“People that frequent this street would know that. When we come in the morning, there is no visible presence of police and its the same thing in the evening when we are leaving. The police have to step it up and be more consistent.”
Another sales associate shared, “I do not feel safe.”
“This is a second robbery at a jewelry store within a month. Police are not doing enough patrols in the area. Sometime they stick in one area more than they would patrol another,” she said.
“A lot of tourists that come on ships, don’t actually leave those ships because they do not feel safe.”
According to one source that works in the area where the robbery took place, tourists were literally scrambling to save their lives.
“There was a couple with a young baby that actually ran into our establishment and they were really shaken up,” she shared.
Police have yet to nab the perpetrators, but Assistant Superintendent (ASP) Kent Butler of the Downtown Tourism Policing Unit confirmed, that officers are doing their best to solve the crime.
He noted that contrary to popular belief, police foot patrols in the area are adequate.
ASP Butler said he is also confident that police response time to incidents in the area are satisfactory.
“The response time in this area will always be excellent because officers are actually posted throughout the entire district,” said ASP Butler.
Anyone with information that can assist with solving this crime is asked to contact authorities at 919, 911 or Crime Stoppers at 328-TIPS.
