City Constabulary grapples with teenage thieves

As the City Constabulary work to tackle petty crimes around Georgetown, it is especially on the lookout for a gang of teen robbers.

Chief Constable (ag), Laurel Gittens has noted that based on those persons who were arrested, theculprits are between the ages of 10 to 18 years old.

Speaking with the media on Monday, Gittens noted that these persons are mostly school dropouts who attack persons in the market area and on Regent Street – between Hincks Street and Avenue of the Republic.

“They’re moving from one area to the other,” she said.

While the City Constabulary has put several systems in place to deal with increased robberies during the busy shopping period, she is urging citizens to keep their possessions safe. Among the measures taken by the city police, is increasing plain clothes ranks on the city streets.

However, Gittens said some of  the perpetrators “monitor the movements of the law enforcement agency,” tobe able to commit crimes when the Constables would have moved from thelocation.

As a result, she is asking citizens to be mindful of their surroundings.

“You have to avoid using your phone, especially in crowded areas and the young people are not getting that –they’re walking with these phones in their hands like if it’s a pocket book and they care less,” the acting Chief Constable noted.

She also alluded to several tips released by the Guyana Police Force, especially one which urges citizens to use their credit cards to make purchases as opposed to walking around with cash.

The Acting Chief Constable is also calling on the authorities to place the teens into various vocational studies to help curb the issue as they may sometimes go through the court system and end up back on the streets.

The Guyana Police Force has also increased its patrols for the Christmas season to ensure the safety ofcitizens.