Sint Marteen. Attaque à main armée d’une bijouterie de Front Street à… 10h45 du matin

Daylight armed robbery

At approximately 10.45 a.m. on Friday morning July 10th several phone calls came into the central Police Dispatch informing them of an armed robbery going on at Dazzling Gem, a jewelry store on Front Street opposite Passangrahan Hotel.

The callers also stated that three or four armed persons were involved in the robbery and that a motorcycle or scooter and silver colored Kia Picanto with license P-6030 were used to flee the scene. Three armed and masked men dressed in dark clothing stormed into the establishment. One robber had a handgun and the other two robbers each had a hammer. The manager and employees were held at gunpoint while other two smashed and grabbed the jewelry from the showcases.

A male tourist who saw what was going attacked one of the robbers but was overpowered by the other two robbers who struck him on his head with their weapons injuring him.

After committing their act the robbers fled the scene.

Immediately after receiving this information several police patrols and off duty police officers were mobilized. Philipsburg and surrounding area were immediately completely locked down causing major traffic back-up. All vehicles going out and coming in to Philipsburg were checked. A search by police and detectives to arrest the suspects and locate the vehicles used in the robbery followed because did not have the opportunity to escape. During the search silver colored Kia Picanto was located in the Over the Bank area.

This car was confiscated for further investigation by the Forensic Department. Shortly after, the suspect that was riding the motorcycle was seen by an officer involved in the search took off at high speed with through the streets. The suspect was chased by police and in the area of the Government Administration building several warning shots were fired by police, however the suspect continued fleeing from police who followed him on foot.

The suspect lost control of the motorcycle in the area of the post office and fell on the ground. The suspect took off on foot after throwing something on the roof of building in the area. The suspect was arrested on the scene by the officers and taken to the Philipsburg Police station.

During the search on the roof a bag containing an amount of jewelry was found and confiscated for further investigation. Based on information that came in a second suspect in this case was arrested at his home in Sucker garden. Both suspects remain in custody for further investigation.

The male tourist injured in this case was treated by the paramedics on the scene and then take to the Sint Maarten Medical Center for further treatment. The case is under investigation by the Detective Department.

The Police Department wants to thank entire community and in particular those persons who have called the 911 line to give information regarding this case which was very instrumental and has lead to at least two arrests in the case.