Vendors Say Alleged Break-Ins At Fort Charlotte Costing Them Thousands 

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Vendors temporarily operating from Fort Charlotte say a string of alleged break-ins is costing them thousands of dollars in merchandise and leaving many feeling unsafe. They told Our News they are frustrated, fed up, and desperate for immediate action.

Several straw vendors from Fort Fincastle, currently displaced and working from tents at Fort Charlotte due to ongoing repairs, say thieves have repeatedly targeted their stalls in recent weeks. Items such as T-shirts, sweatshirts, souvenirs, and stuffed animals have been stolen, with losses climbing into the thousands.

One vendor, Porsha Jones, said she arrived for work only to discover her stall had been hit again, calling the experience exhausting and emotionally draining.

Others say the temporary structures leave them vulnerable. The tents close only with snaps and zippers, vendors explain, making them easy for intruders to breach. Veteran vendor Margaret Jones said the situation is no longer manageable and is calling for immediate relocation.

President of the Fort Fincastle Vendors Association, Tanya Fernanader, says this isn’t random crime but a growing pattern. She noted that while police have responded and even fingerprinted the area, vendors have received no compensation and little clarity on next steps. Some, she said, have lost nearly all their inventory.

A project manager at the Fort Fincastle site told Our News off camera that the matters are under active police investigation. He confirmed that meetings were held with concerned vendors last week to update them on ongoing restoration work, but no timeline was available for when they can return to the original site.

For woodworker Ricardo “Driftwood” Bodie, the repeated thefts are devastating to small business owners who are already struggling. He believes the crimes are targeted and says promised 24-hour security has not materialized, leaving vendors feeling abandoned.