With several incidents reported Tuesday on St. Thomas– including a rape, carjacking and double homicide near Charlotte Amalie High School – the citizens’ organization that has so far been partnering with local police is calling its own meeting, this time without authorities, to find solutions for rising crime on the island.
The Community and Police Association announced Tuesday that members will be holding a meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Monday at the V.I. Montessori School and Peter Gruber International Academy. The meeting was announced shortly after police put out a release about a confirmed rape on the East End of St. Thomas that occurred at approximately 5:25 a.m. Tuesday.
According to the release, the victim said she was leaving her home for work when an unknown male ran up and pointed a gun to her head. The victim said that she was forced to walk away from the house and was then sexually assaulted.
Community and Police Association representatives said the victim was reportedly living in the same house as one of the women previously assaulted by the still at-large rapist on the East End.
“It’s not the same victim, it’s not a roommate, but it’s in the same complex, the same residential area,” Police spokesman Glen Dratte said. Dratte added that there is no confirmation that Tuesday’s case is in any way linked to the string of rapes previously committed on the East End.
But with crime on the rise, CAPA organizers said they are looking for solutions – and after two town meetings, still have not gotten far with the police.
“There have been no results,” Flamon said. “Crime is still out of control. So this meeting on Monday is our organization’s attempt to take action and find solutions on our own.”
“We want to develop a plan of action and answers because every time the police meet with us, they have no answers,” Flamon continued.
Speaking Tuesday afternoon, Dratte said the Police Department will support any community groups that come together to help local crime fighting efforts.
“The Police Department does what it can, but that’s why we ask for citizens’ help,” Dratte said. “We’re happy to see that the community is uniting and working together to fight crime and we’ll do whatever we can to support all related activities.”
Dratte said the VIPD did work with CAPA to host two town hall meetings for East End residents and encouraged residents living in the area to form a neighborhood watch group.
“We have given residents information to contact us and no one has been reaching out as far as to how they are getting the neighborhood group together,” Dratte said. “The last meeting we held wasn’t well-attended, but we will continue our initiatives in the area and continue these town meetings as we keep moving forward to solving crimes within the territory.”
Monday’s meeting is open to all St. Thomas residents, Flamon said.
Police are asking residents with information on this or any other crime to contact the Police Department at (340)774-2211 or VIPD’s Criminal Investigation Bureau at (340)714-9807, (340)714-9805 or (340)714-9800. Residents can also call Crime Stoppers USVI at (800)222-8477 or emergency 911.
