Tahna Weston
[email protected]
Four teenage boys from the Denis Bowers Rehabilitation Centre escaped from police custody at the Bolans Police Station on Monday night, days after they allegedly damaged a cell at the youth holding facility.
The juveniles, aged between 15 and 17, had been transferred to police custody while repairs were being carried out at the centre, according to manager Randy Christopher. Their whereabouts remained unknown on Tuesday.
Christopher said he learned of the escape on Tuesday morning, October 6, when a senior police officer contacted him. He said he had received no update on whether the four boys had been recaptured.
According to reports, the incident began shortly after midnight on Saturday at the Willikies Rehabilitation Centre, where the boys allegedly damaged the hinges of their cell door and CCTV cameras, leaving the cell compromised.
The noise reportedly alerted detention officers on duty, after which the boys barricaded themselves inside the cell.
Officers from the police Special Services Unit (SSU), along with two soldiers from the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force (ABDF), reportedly responded. They entered the cell and took all four into custody without further incident.
The boys were then reportedly taken to the St John’s Police Station before being transferred to the Bolans Police Station.
Christopher said they were being held at the police station while the damaged section of the centre was repaired.
It remains unclear when or how the four teenagers were able to evade police custody.
Christopher cautioned members of the public not to approach the boys if they see them.
“I would not say they are more dangerous, but based on some of the offences that they would have been remanded for, I would want to caution the public not to try to apprehend [them], but contact the authorities,” he said.
Christopher said the boys appeared to be struggling with the rehabilitation programme at the centre.
Anyone with information on their whereabouts is asked to contact the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda or the Denis Bowers Rehabilitation Centre at 463-2029.
Four juveniles escape police custodyafter transfer from rehab centre
