Crime

Armed Robbery: The Latest Trends Revealed

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Armed robberies jumped by more than 30 percent last year and it’s showing no signs of slowing down.

Published

3 years ago

March 20, 2023

Jasmin Brown

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Armed robberies jumped by more than 30 percent last year and it’s showing no signs of slowing down but there’s a dedicated unit of officers who spend their days investigating the crimes that have victims staring down the barrel of a gun.

Assistant Superintendent Antonio Levarity heads the Criminal Investigation Department’s Armed Robbery Unit.

For those dedicated officers attached to that section, their job encompasses investigating armed robberies across the country. Levarity says it’s a round the clock job.

Last year, police reported 555 armed robberies in 2022, that’s a 34 percent increase over 2021. Firearms were used in 96 percent of the incidents.

As Levarity explains, investigating the violent crime is a process.

While officers are hard at work trying to clamp down on these crimes, they say they’re noticing some trends like gunmen targeting beachgoers, people making bank deposits and using ATMs.