Theft at CPSa Tragedy - Commissioner
In what Commissioner of Police Mr. DavidThursfield describes as a tragedy for the Cayman Islands and thepolice service, thieves have removed an estimated 70 kilogrammesof cocaine from a sealed building in the yard of the Central PoliceStation.
The RCIP reported that on the night of Monday,9 July, the burglars gained entry to a concrete vault-like buildingwith no windows by cutting through the bolts securing padlockson the metal door.
"This or another country may be exposedto the missing cocaine and the potential misery that will cause.The Police service having, I believe, made great strides in developingpublic confidence in their work, have placed that progress injeopardy," Commissioner Thursfield said.
The Commissioner explained in a releasethat earlier on the day of the theft a decision was taken to transfercocaine from another building where evidence in current courtcases was kept to the building from which the thieves took thedrugs.
He said that the building does not havean alarm but is covered by closed circuit television cameras.
There have been no reports on what the televisioncamera might have recorded.
Head of the Uniform Branch, Chief Superintendent David Gooding,is leading the investigation into the incident and his terms ofreference include a probe into the internal police process whichled to decisions taken and events surrounding the breach of securityand to make recommendations for any security enhancements.
"I hope that the police investigationwill reveal whether or not police collaboration is evident,"Commissioner Thursfield said.