After hunting the gang which had terrorized the country for months, the police have finally nabbed what they believe – and we hope – are its members. It took time. Weekly blew the lid off this gang and exposed its modus operandi in May. We had named it the Rolex gang because it went for luxury watches and jewellery. That was six months ago. Six months of a deep sense of insecurity can have long-lasting consequences on people’s psyche and affect the crime statistics in a significant way.

If we were as cynical as we are accused of being, our reaction to the police’s achievement would be: “High b*** time!” as the arrests did not come a minute too soon. But we choose to say: “Congratulations! Better late than never.” The police have finally put their act together and given a fine example of what they can achieve when the different police units work together.

We keep coming down hard on the police. We are the first to recognise that and we are happy to shower a bit of praise when deserved. So, we don’t really want to rain on their parade. However, we cannot help asking ourselves two major questions: First, if the gang they caught is the only one that was out there or there are others which will continue to perpetuate the sentiment of insecurity which has been pervading the island these last few months, eventually making its way into our national assembly. Having followed the different acts of robbery since we came out with the story, it seems to us that there are at least two modi operandi that characterize the recent robberies. The police – perhaps for reasons we can understand – have not given us a convincing reason to believe that our woes are over. We do hope, however, that they do not lower their guard and that they act in a proactive way.

Secondly, now that the police have done their job, what will happen to the members of the/ (the?) gang? Last time another gang was caught – after weeks of visiting houses in Black

River and making away with valuables and – worse – fi rearms, its members refused to say where the loot was, their lawyers were quick to highlight their clients’ constitutional right to silence, they were released on bail and we never heard of them again. This must have been very discouraging for the police. As we speak, these gang members are probably out there looting again. And they are armed. Security is as important to our people and our tourist industry as our other three Ss: Sun, Sea and Sand. It has to be a constant major concern. Nabbing criminals is a good start.

Putting them in jail is hardly any punishment if their loot is not recovered and – more importantly – those who were buying their stolen goods, thus encouraging their looting, are not brought to book. If all the money they have been stashing away is now safe in a foreign bank account, what will a few months in jail change? As for the hundreds of victims, their arrest alone is meagre consolation.

weekly@lasentinelle.mu