Old Harbour businesses urged to apply this security strategy to deter phone crooks

That’s the advice of DSP Mark Harris, chief of police for the sub-division of Old Harbour.

Harris made the comments after reviewing security footage of a masked male stealing a cellphone belonging to a member of staff at an Old Harbour business.

The identity of the crook was indeterminable as he was sporting a facemask and peak cap. In the footage the man who was also sporting a knapsack acted as if he was a customer but in reality was only biding his time until the opportunity present itself to remove the mobile phone from a shelf behind the reception desk.

“If this was done in this particular instance and reported within reasonable timeframe the police would be better equipped to nab the crook during certain activities,” said DSP Harris.

“So these images are very important so we can conduct more people and vehicle checks and stop and account activities knowing that persons may lose their items and the police may intercept persons who fail to account for items which can commence an investigation which may result in the person being charged and the victim get back their items.”

He added: “It is recommended that it is best that they put mechanisms like this in place so as to have us properly identify persons who snatch their things.”

This protocol will act as a deterrent, he said.

Staff at the store said it’s the first such an incident has happened.

“We are encouraging business operators; once you have surveillance camera you ask person to briefly pull down their mask and lift their cap and look into the camera,” he told Old Harbour News. “If you have a security at the business make sure that this is done.”