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One Year Since Murder of Steve Parkes, Investigation Remains Active

Detectives continue to investigate the murder of Steve Parkes, which occurred around 7:48pm Monday, 11th December 2023 in the Mary Victoria Road, Devonshire area. Mr. Parkes was 53-years-old when he was fatally shot outside his home, as he was about to get on his motorcycle. The investigators renew their appeal for relevant information, in particular from area residents who may have seen any suspicious individuals or vehicles in the Mary Victoria Road, Devonshire neighbourhood on the night Mr. Parkes was killed. All information received will be treated in the strictest confidence. Anyone that can assist is encouraged to contact Acting Detective Inspector Anneka Donawa by calling 717-2250, or e-mailing adonawa@bps.bm. Alternatively, anonymous tips can be provided through the independent and confidential Crime Stoppers Bermuda hotline 800-8477, as well as their website, www.crimestoppers.bm.

Two Car Drivers Treated & Released From Hospital After Collision

Two female car drivers were treated and later discharged from King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, after being involved in a collision around 9:45am Monday, 9th December 2024, at the junction of Court Street and Reid Street, in the City of Hamilton. It now appears that one of the women involved, said to be a 67-year-old Warwick resident, was driving down Court Street and the other woman, said to be a 46-year-old Sandys parish resident, was driving along Reid Street when they collided at the junction. Both injured women were transported to hospital via ambulance a short time after. It is understood that the Court Street traffic light was green at the time. There were traffic disruptions in the immediate area for approximately two hours while the collision scene was processed. The two damaged cars had to be towed away. One witness made themselves known to the attending police officers and inquiries continue.

Update: Two Motorcycle Smith’s Parish Collision Investigation Continues

At last check, a 19-year-old local male motorcyclist seriously injured in a collision with another motorcycle rider at the junction of Verdmont Road and St. Mark’s Road in Smith’s parish shortly before 10pm Saturday, 7th December 2024, remained at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit, in stable condition. The other rider involved, understood to be a 23-year-old local woman, received hospital treatment for her injuries and was later discharged. It now appears that the 23-year-old was travelling along St. Mark’s Road and the 19-year-old was travelling along Verdmont Road, when the collision occurred at the junction. Inquiries continue and any witnesses or persons with relevant information are now encouraged to contact Sergeant Milton Hill by calling 211, or e-mailing mjhill@bps.bm.

Two Motorcyclists Hurt in Reported Serious Smith's Parish Collision [Updated]

Shortly before 10:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 8, 2024, police were dispatched to a serious road traffic collision involving two motorcycles at the junction of Verdmont Road and St. Mark’s Road, Smith’s. Details are limited at this time, however it has been confirmed that the riders of both bikes, a 19-year-old male and a 23-year-old female were both transported by ambulance to the King Edward the VII Memorial Hospital for treatment of their injuries. The male motorcycle rider appears to have suffered a serious head injury and was unresponsive. The extent of the injuries sustained by the female victim remains unknown at this time. An update will be provided as more information becomes available. In the interim, anyone who may have witnessed this incident or who may have any information pertaining to it, is asked to contact the main police number, 295-0011. Update: Tuesday, 10th December - At last check, a 19-year-old local male motorcyclist seriously injured in a collision with another motorcycle rider at the junction of Verdmont Road and St. Mark’s Road in Smith’s parish shortly before 10pm Saturday, 7th December 2024, remained at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit, in stable condition. The other rider involved, understood to be a 23-year-old local woman, received hospital treatment for her injuries and was later discharged. It now appears that the 23-year-old was travelling along St. Mark’s Road and the 19-year-old was travelling along Verdmont Road, when the collision occurred at the junction. Inquiries continue and any witnesses or persons with relevant information are now encouraged to contact Sergeant Milton Hill by calling 211, or e-mailing mjhill@bps.bm.

Scam Advisory: Compromised WhatsApp Accounts Used for Fraud

The Bermuda Police Service is advising the public to exercise increased caution in the wake of reports of people’s WhatsApp accounts being compromised and used to perpetrate fraudulent financial schemes. Hackers reportedly gain unauthorized access to an individual's WhatsApp account by deceiving the user into disclosing their six-digit verification code. Having gained access, the hackers impersonate the victim and message that person’s contacts, requesting urgent financial assistance or, sensitive information. What to Look Out For: Unusual Messages from Friends or Family: If a contact messages you asking for financial assistance, verify their identity through a phone call or in-person conversation before taking any action. Requests for OTP or Verification Codes: It is imperative that you do not disclose your one-time password (OTP) or verification codes to any individual, regardless of whether the request appears to originate from a reputable source. Urgency and Pressure: Fraudsters frequently instill a sense of urgency in order to compel victims to act without considering the consequences. Protect Yourself: Enable two-step verification. Enable WhatsApp's two-step verification for an added degree of protection. This feature requires a PIN to access your account. Avoid Sharing Personal Information: Be cautious when sharing personal or account-related information, even with trusted contacts. Stay Informed: Regularly update yourself on cybersecurity best practices to recognize and avoid scams. What to do if you are a victim: Immediately inform your contacts via alternative means of the hack to prevent further exploitation. Report the incident to WhatsApp via the in-app help feature. File a report with the Bermuda Police Service at https://portal.police.bm. The Bermuda Police Service remains committed to raising awareness about digital safety and encourages everyone to remain vigilant. By working together, we can reduce the impact of these fraudulent activities on our communities.

Third Set of Youth Focused Bermuda Sports Superstars Cards Released

The Bermuda Police Service (BPS) and Hamilton Princess are excited to announce that December’s Bermuda Sports Superstars Cards have been officially released! This month’s set of six Superstars (two women and four men), features (in no particular order): Rockal Evans (Sailing) Delray Rawlins (Cricket) Micah Lambert (Tennis) Bridget Marshall (Tennis) Alshauntae Symons (Bowling) Kristopher Trott (Track & Field) With the annual observance of the United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities held on 3rd December each year, Superstars Micah Lambert, Bridget Marshall, Alshauntae Symons and Kris Trott join Legend Jessica Lewis as the first Special Olympics athletes and first Paralympic athlete respectively to be highlighted in the history of this local card series, dating back to the original set circulated in 1986. In partnership with Hamilton Princess, a total of 18 new collectible sports cards have been released since 1st October 2024, with fresh cards scheduled to be distributed in limited batches monthly, until all 44 are available in May 2025. As part of this youth focused initiative, several schools across the island have already held special assemblies with police officers as guest speakers, as well as athletes sharing personal stories of perseverance, with more planned before the end of this school term. In addition to these prearranged school visits, our youth are encouraged to actively seek out police officers on patrol throughout the island for an opportunity, through positive interaction or engagement, to receive one of the latest collectible sports cards! Students may also collect one of the 18 inspiring sports cards released to date at any police station (Hamilton, Somerset and Southside). Which local sporting heroes are next? Follow BPS social media (Facebook, Instagram & X/Twitter) to find out!

Firearms Training at Warwick Camp

The Bermuda Police Service (BPS) is advising the public that firearms training is scheduled to take place at Warwick Camp, from 7pm until 9pm Monday, 2nd December 2024. The BPS thanks the public in advance for their understanding, while this necessary training takes place.

Renewed Fraud Advisory: Calls From Fake Bank Representatives

The Financial Crime Unit (FCU) has received several reports this week regarding a troubling rise in fraudulent activity targeting both local businesses and members of the public—particularly customers of financial institutions (Banks). In these incidents, individuals impersonating agents of local banks (from the Fraud Department) are contacting customers and falsely claiming that fraudulent activity has been detected on their accounts. The fraudsters then request login credentials to "resolve" the issue. Once they gain access to the accounts, they quickly transfer funds to overseas locations. So far, complaints from this week alone have revealed that local residents have collectively lost over 1.2 million dollars due to this scam. As we enter the festive season, a time historically associated with increased fraud activity, the Bermuda Police Service (BPS) urges residents to remain vigilant and note the following to protect against falling victim to these types of scams: 1. Bank representatives will never ask you over the phone for your personal account login credentials. 2. If you are uncertain about the legitimacy of a call, hang up immediately and contact your bank directly by phone or in person. 3. Do not download or install any third-party software at the request of someone claiming to be a bank representative. 4. If you receive an email claiming to be from your bank, you should check the email header to see if it matches the details of legitimate emails you've received from your bank before. The BPS is also aware that persons are receiving WhatsApp messages from friends in their phone contacts list, asking them to send money to a disclosed location. However once contacted the person supposedly making the request confirms they did not send any such message. We urge residents to please be vigilant of this and if in doubt or, if something seems strange about the request, do not send money.

Updated Witness Appeal: Confirmed Injury Firearm Incident in Warwick

Investigations continue into the firearms incident which occurred in the area of Cedar Heights Lane in Warwick around 9:10PM on Thursday, November 21st, 2024. Two men, a 53 year old and a 38 year old, both sustained multiple gunshot wounds in that incident and remain in hospital, where they continue to receive treatment for their injuries, which are not considered life-threatening. It is understood that immediately after the shooting, two persons dressed in dark clothing were seen on a motorcycle speeding in an easterly direction along Harbour Road. Investigators are particularly interested in speaking with anyone who may have seen individuals fitting this description in the area of Cedar Hill, St. Mary’s Road Warwick and Harbour Road, shortly before or after the shooting. We wish to thank those members of the public who have so far come forward with information on this incident. We ask that you or anyone with any information please contact Acting Detective Inspector Anneka Donawa on 717-2250 or via email, adonawa@bps.bm. You may also call the main police number 295-0011, or share the information with a police officer you know. Alternatively, please provide the information using the police community reporting portal at, https://portal.police.bm or by visiting the independent and confidential Crime Stoppers website at https://crimestoppers.bm and completing the anonymous crime reporting form. You may also call Crime Stoppers on 800-8477.