Following two similar armed robberies at the Banco Popular ATM in Road Town, police are warning residents to use caution.
The most recent incident, at about 2 a.m. on Friday, bore “striking similarities” to another robbery at the same place on Jan. 11, police said later that day.
“In both cases, victims withdrew cash from the ATM and were soon after accosted by armed men, who forcibly took their money before fleeing the scene,” according to a Friday press release from the Police Information Office.
“These incidents highlight the risks of late-night ATM transactions and reinforce the need for increased situational awareness.”
Police did not announce the Jan. 11 robbery previously, and their Friday statement did not explain why not.
In a separate press release on Tuesday, police said they had made “significant progress” investigating a “string of robberies” over the weekend.
“As a result of police operations, three individuals have been arrested, and two firearms, along with a quantity of ammunition, have been recovered,” the Tuesday release stated. “These latest recoveries bring the total number of firearms seized for 2025 to six.”
Police Information Officer Akia Thomas-Nero said Tuesday that she would provide more information about the other weekend robberies, but she had not done so as of Beacon press time yesterday.
Security measures
Police did, however, say they have increased patrols and boosted CCTV coverage in the area of Banco Popular.
Detective Chief Inspector Kenrick Davis also emphasised the importance of a collaborative approach to fighting crime.
“Many street crimes occur when three variables meet: a motivated offender, a vulnerable victim, and the lack of capable guardianship,” he said. “If citizens and police work together to disrupt any of these variables, crimes are unlikely to occur.”
To that end, he advised residents to vary their routines, such as ATM withdrawal times and locations, to make it more difficult for criminals to target them.
“Similarly, increasing capable guardianship through strengthening security with CCTV, lighting, police patrols and neighbourhood watch initiatives further deters criminal activity, as [criminals] are less likely to act when the risk of detection is high,” he said.