Officers kept busy as string of thefts net a/c units, cell phone, and appliances from businesses, boats and homes

There seems to be no end in sight to the lengths criminal elements
are willing to go to, with unknown persons stealing a quantity of air-
conditioning units from the Ministry of Public Works and costing
taxpayers close to $25,000.
 
It is alleged that eight Emerald Chef AC units, valued at $3,000 each,
were removed from a storeroom sometime between 1:30 p.m.
on January 10 and 8:30 a.m. on January 15 at St. John’s Street. 
 
A source says the matter was reported to the Criminal Investigations
Department (CID) by Ickford Thomas of Clarks Hill, the deputy chief
of security at the Ministry of Works.
 
Reports say the intruders were able to get into the storeroom via a
northern wooden door by using a cutting tool to sever the padlock.
 

The unknown persons then entered the building and removed the
AC units from a shelf.
 
A search reportedly was carried out for the stolen items, but without
success.
 
Meanwhile, three other businesses were broken into and items
stolen.
 
Reports say the security coordinator at the Jolly Harbour Marina
went to Johnsons Point Police Station and reported that two boats
docked at the Marina Bay had been broken into.
 
This offence reportedly occurred sometime between 3 a.m. and 5:20
a.m. on January 15.
 
Reports say that a 66-year-old man, the owner of a 67-foot Oyster
vessel named Matawai reported that he had gone to bed at about 4
a.m., and been awakened by a spotlight shining through the glass
door to the main cabin at about 5:20 a.m.
 
While checking his boat, he said he observed that the cabin door was
open and his partner’s iPhone 12 was missing.
 
The Tikitiboo, another vessel docked at the marina, was also the
target of thieves.
 
The owner reportedly is based overseas. However, he submitted
footage from a surveillance camera installed on the boat, which
shows an unknown man walking about inside the vessel.
 
It is unclear whether anything was stolen, as the security
coordinator reported that the recording stopped abruptly when the
intruder realized he was being recorded.

In yet another incident, the owner of the former Auto Rescue
Antigua, located on American Road, telephoned the CID and
reported that the business had been broken into and a 3D printer
and a vacuum had been taken.
 
Reportedly, this offence occurred sometime between 5:30 p.m. on
January14 and 5:40 p.m. on January 15 on American Road.
 
It is alleged that the owner secured the building and left the items
inside; however, on his return, he found the front entrance door
open.
 
Allegedly, the intruder had used a ladder to gain height, and then
used a prying implement to force open a push-up bathroom
window.
 
Having done so, he entered and ransacked the entire building and
stole the items. Exit was made via the front door. 
 
A search was carried out in the surrounding area and a window
screen was found on the western side on a plot of vacant land.
 
Meanwhile, a Belle View woman reported to CID that the Bascus
Wine Shop, located at Abbott Farm Road, had been broken into
sometime between 5:30 p.m. on January 13 and 6:30 a.m. on January
15.
 
Apparently, the intruder had removed a piece of wood that was used
to secure an eastern bathroom window and entered the property.
 
The perpetrator then dislodged an internal door, went to the office,
and removed the cash pan from a drawer. However, reportedly
nothing was stolen.