The brother and uncle of three cruise ship passengers arrested after the chain snatching incident in Dockyard that landed two local teenagers in the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit, has posted a plea for their release on Facebook. Bermuda Real has just been informed that they were released on police bail following a few days in custody.
Yves Charles, who was travelling with the trio facing charges in Magistrates’s Court, turned to social media on September 2nd, the day after the cruise ship left Bermuda without his relatives on board.
Mr Charles, who noted that his brother spent his birthday in a jail cell , wrote: “Good afternoon to all following this TRAGIC story #FreeTheTourists the young people arrested, 2 of them are my siblings and the other is my nephew.
“My family went on a cruise and the ship stopped off in Bermuda, local thieves robbed my family at the Dockyard. The members of my family defended themselves but they were arrested in Hamilton, Bermuda, my brother spent his 23rd birthday in a prison cell on 9/1/17…THE VICTIMS, PRISONERS need to be released and come home,” he said.
“PLEASE HELP OUR FAMILY, my mom and other members of our family are still on the ship and cannot even continue to enjoy this nightmare of a vacation…these are not violent individuals, YES I watched the videos floating around on social media and of course I know we all have an opinion which we’re entitled to, just imagine if this was your loved ones #WHATWOULDYOUDO.”
When contacted by Bermuda Real, Police Media Manager Dwayne Caines said police were aware of the post. But he said: “The investigation is continuing.”
At last check, the trio in custody were scheduled to appear in Magistrates’ Court tomorrow morning during the Plea Court Session, to face charges as a result of the incident that left two teenaged males in hospital with serious head and facial injuries last Friday.
The incident occurred near the pharmacy in Dockyard around 3am on September 1st, after the theft of jewellery from one of the three passengers involved.
All three passengers are reportedly from Brooklyn, New York. Meanwhile, the two teens, one 19-years-old and the other 17-years-old, remain in hospital with serious head and facial injuries.
Video of the incident that started circulating shortly after the incident prompted a slew of comments on whether or not the violent beating was too excessive. Mr Caines said last week that the footage “will play a role in the investigation”.
The three tourists arrested who remained in police custody, were recently released on police bail pending court proceedings.
