The Tribune

By Earyel Bowleg

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

A WOMAN was sexually assaulted yesterday during an early morning home invasion on Marshall Road.

Police said shortly after 3am two men forced their way into a home and held residents at bay while robbing them of cash and personal items.

One of the robbers sexually assaulted a woman before they escaped in one of the victims’ black 2014 Ford F-150 truck.

The Tribune canvassed the area yesterday, and some residents and those working in the community say they feel unsafe, adding they have witnessed a number of robberies.

Trevor John Miller, who works at Teen Challenge Bahamas, claimed the area has frequent reports of robberies.

“Continuous robberies be going down this same strip as it is right now – big day, midnight. As a matter of fact one of the staff members, recently I think one two years ago …. I think he was going to get his hair cut to the barber to the end of Marshall Road. Fella pull up on him with a hand gun, car park up the road, rob him of his chain watch and $400.”

A man, who gave his name as Mr Oliver, 56, said he has been living in the area for three years. He said he tries to give rides to people he encounters walking late at night to prevent them being victims of crime.

“Sometimes I see women them late walking in the evening … I pick them up and carry them..as far as I could carry them where they is because I’ve seen robberies gone down.

“People walking - bag been snatched. I’ve seen that from the time I was living here… As far as I’m concerned I know it ain’t safe, not this area, ‘cause the house them too far back …out to the road…and this more is a bushy area. Everything around here is more school and church.

“There is no homes in the area whereby, hey folks sitting on the porch and they can see what’s going on. That’s why these things always take place.”

In spite of complaints by some of crime in the area, Bahamas Academy Vice Principal Winston Symonette has no anxiety about security issues and said the school is “very happy” with the location.

“We have security here 24 hours a day. This campus is never at any point during the day, any time of the day, any time of the week, not being monitored. So we have live bodies watching the campus at all times.”

According to police crime statistics, there were 113 burglaries, 37 reports of rape, seven reports of attempted rape and 97 reports of unlawful sexual intercourse in the country last year.

Police are appealing to anyone with information on these incidents to contact the Central Detective Unit at 502-9991/2, Crime Stoppers at 328-8477, or the nearest police station.