Commissioner of Police Richard Boyce says Barbados must confront the growing trend of masked riders on unregistered motorcycles – a combination he described as “a deliberate disguise for criminals who want to move unseen, strike quickly, and vanish before the public can identify them”.
At Police Headquarters yesterday, Boyce pointed to Wednesday’s murder at President Kennedy Drive and the subsequent shootout in Goodland as an example of how the disguises are being used.
“Those two gunmen were not only armed – they were concealed from head to toe, riding a motorcycle with speed and agility. The public saw it. Our officers experienced it first-hand. This is a method now being adopted by people who want to terrorise neighbourhoods.”
Residents of both districts reported seeing the pillion rider firing while looking backwards, hoodie flapping and face covered.
Boyce said these were not random fashion choices.
“People want to say it is style but too often we are seeing balaclavas, masks and oversized hoodies being used to hide identities. When combined with an illegal motorcycle, that is a very dangerous pairing and we are dismantling it.”
The Commissioner reminded the public that the law already prohibits the wearing of facecovering items in public when circumstances suggest criminal intent.
“Under the Highways Act, Section 37, we have the power to intervene. If your face is covered in a way that prevents identification, and the situation raises suspicion, that is an offence. We cannot pretend this is harmless.”
Ski masks
He added that no new legislation was required to address the sale or importation of ski masks at this time.
“We have discussed it. Nothing is off the table. But right now, the issue is enforcement and we
are enforcing the law.”
Boyce said unregistered scramblertype motorcycles have become a feature in recent violent crimes.
“The ability to weave between vehicles, escape through narrow passageways, and accelerate rapidly gives offenders a tactical advantage but we are closing that gap,” he noted.
The Commissioner said specialised teams would now be intercepting illegal bikes aggressively.
“If your motorcycle has no plates, no registration, no insurance, and you are dressed in a way that mimics these offenders, you should prepare to be stopped. We cannot – and will not – leave these machines unchecked,” he warned.
Boyce acknowledged that the imagery of masked riders speeding through districts has unsettled many.
“When you see individuals fully covered in black clothing, racing past you, it creates an atmosphere of anxiety,” he said.
“This is why we must confront it head-on. This is why Barbadians must understand that we are not sitting still.”
He urged citizens to report the presence of motorcycles parked suspiciously in neighbourhoods.
“Vehicles used in robberies and shootings are sometimes left abandoned for days. Let us know the moment you notice something out of place.”
The Commissioner stressed that officers would be applying a fresh level of scrutiny in public spaces.
“We have entered a new policing posture.
These garments and motorcycles, when used for concealment and criminal mobility, are not welcome in Barbados. We are shutting down that pattern, and we are doing so immediately.” ( CLM)
Get the Leaders of the Gangs.