MARIGOT—A joint operation between Gendarmes and Dutch-side police Wednesday night has resulted in the capture of four armed robbery suspects, thought to be responsible for robberies committed on both sides of the island.
Deputy Commandant Emmanuel Maignan said thanks to witness information about the get-away car used by the suspects following armed robberies to two businesses on Tuesday and Wednesday in Marigot, it allowed the Dutch side-police to locate the suspects.
The four suspects, who are in custody at the Philipsburg Police Station, are implicated in several “aggressive and violent “robberies on the Dutch side, including a robbery in Cupecoy on Tuesday evening, according to the Gendarmerie.
On Thursday the Guadeloupe Prosecutor decided the Prosecutor of Sint Maarten can add the two armed robberies committed on the French side to the list of crimes committed by the suspects on the Dutch side.
“What this means is that the French Prosecutor has handed over the investigation into the two armed robberies on the French side to his counterpart, through mutual agreement,” Maignan explained. “Combining crimes on both sides will result in a stiffer sentence. It’s an unusual step but now possible thanks to the Police Cooperation Treaty. It can also be proposed by the Dutch side to the French side Prosecutor. Decisions like this can now be made very quickly.”
Acting spokesperson for the Prosecutor’s Office, Gonda van der Wulp confirmed last night that three men and a woman were arrested Wednesday night. However, the woman was released on Thursday.
