A 26-year-old woman is nursing minor injuries after an unknown assailant attacked her at home on Boggy Sands Road in West Bay on Tuesday, 30 June, according to the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service (RCIPS).

Police have begun an investigation into the incident.

Police said that around 4:10 am on Tuesday the 911 Emergency Communications Centre received a call from a resident of Boggy Sands Road reporting that a neighbour had been attacked.

Police responded to the scene and found that the victim had been attacked in her home.

The lady has told police that she was asleep on the sofa when she awoke to find a man in the room. She said the man was holding something covered in his hand, which she thought might have been a gun. He said if she did what she was told and did not scream she would not be hurt.

Fortunately, the woman was able to break free from the man and make her escape from the house. She ran to a neighbour’s property to raise the alarm, injuring her arm and ankle in the process.

“We are working hard to identify this man and are following up a number of leads. We would like to hear from anyone who was in the area around the time of the incident who may have seen this man before or after the attack. Did you see someone running from the area? If you did, please get in touch,” said Detective Sergeant Colin Oremule.

The offender is described as a dark, tall man of stout build and was wearing short pants. Police carried out a full area search but the offender was not located. Scenes of Crime Officers processed the scene and it is believed the offender gained entry through an insecure door.

Detectives from West Bay CID are investigating the incident and are following up a number of leads. A cell phone was taken from the premises, which has since been recovered.

Area Commander, Chief Inspector Angelique Howell, said this was a very frightening situation for the victim and no resident should ever have to go through such an experience.

“This was a hugely traumatic experience for the victim and we are making sure that counselling is available should she want it,” she said.

“These types of incidents really highlight how important it is to have safety at the forefront of our minds.”

Residents are reminded to keep homes and vehicles secure, be aware of their surroundings at all times and report suspicious activity to police or Crime Stoppers.

Chief Inspector Howell said that anyone concerned about their safety or anyone who would like security advice is welcome to contact her at the West Bay police station on 949-3999.

Anyone with information about crime taking place in the Cayman Islands should contact their local police station or Crime Stoppers on 800-8477 (TIPS). All persons calling Crime Stoppers remain anonymous, and are eligible for a reward of up to $1,000, should their information lead to an arrest or recovery of property/drugs.