The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Senior Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Striping Group of Companies is offering $5,000 to anyone with information that leads to the recovery of expensive equipment stolen during a robbery at the company’s headquarters on Abundant Life Road early Friday morning.

Dr Alan Albury, managing director of the company, said thieves stole a Caterpillar generator valued at $35,000 and a cement mixer valued at $15,000.

It is the third robbery the company has faced within six weeks, with previous thefts costing an estimated $10,000, he told The Tribune on Friday.

“Upon entering premises this morning we discovered a ten foot gap in the fence and we recognised upon inspection that we have a Caterpillar generator valued at $35,000 and a cement mixer valued at $15,000 that was missing from the premises," he said. "We were able to review the security footage and we could see where culprits actually manhandled the generator, connected it to a vehicle and made good their escape. The incident took place at about 4.02am. We realize there is an uptick of crime and the challenges people are going through, but this puts us at a disadvantage because these are tools we use in business as we try to maintain as much employment as we could.”

Dr Albury said the $60,000 equipment theft doesn’t include the property damage the company has experienced.

“We recently upgraded our CCTV system, we brought additional high definition cameras, we covered many spots that were not necessarily covered before," he said. "The police came in this morning and we provided them with footage.”

Dr Albury noted the commercial generator has to be installed by an electrician.

“We’ve notified the Bahamas Contractors Association and a lot of electricians that are in groups here on the island as well as the Port Controller and the mail boats in case (thieves) are trying to ship the generator off island.”

The theft affects the operations of the company.

“To maintain continuity of business we would have to go into the rental market to fill both of those items (generator and cement mixer), so that’s an additional cost to our business,” Dr Albury said.

Footage of the crime shows at least three people participated and a truck was used during the crime.