Derrick Frederick photographed shortly after his arrest on St. Thomas on Monday. He is considered one of the USVI’s “most wanted” and had escaped from the Road Town Police Station in December last year before police could charge him for various offences. (Photo: USVI Police Department)

On November 28, 2007, Frederick was removed from Her Majesty’s Prison where he was serving a sentence for Illegal Entry. He had also been charged with several other offences and was brought to the Road Town Station where other charges were to be brought against him.

However on December 1, when a check was made in the eastern cell at Road Town Police Station, Frederick was not present. Further examination of the cell revealed that the security steel mesh and bars were cut with a hacksaw blade, which facilitated Frederick ’s escape.

There is no indication from the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force if they will press to have Frederick extradited to face charges here.

A statement on his capture released by the USVI Police Department stated that Frederick , 28, of New Hernhutt, St. John , was arrested at approximately 10:57 a.m. and charged with Burglary 3rd Degree.

“At approximately 8:44 a.m. a concerned citizen called and reported that a suspicious male was seen lurking in the vicinity of a neighbor’s residence located in Anna’s Fancy, St. Thomas . The citizen notified the owner who was not at home and also called 911 informing Police of this suspicious male,” stated Melody Rames, Territorial Public Relations Director. 

The USVI Police Department in January released a photo of Frederick , listing him as one of the USVI’s “most wanted” after he was implicated as being the suspect in a Burglary on St. Thomas .

In a release, Rames stated that police from Richard N. Callwood Command (Zone A) along with Officers from the Special Operations Bureau, Forensic, K-9 and Mariel C. Newton Command (Zone C) responded to the scene and secured the area.

Members of the Virgin Islands Fire Department were also on the scene rendering assistance to the Officers, Rames stated.

She added that the suspect, upon realising that Police were in the area, started running and in an attempt to get away, he jumped over a balcony and fled into the bushes.

“Due to the thick, heavy foliage in the area, the K-9 was unable to pursue the suspect. Officer Liston Stout utilized heavy clothing from Fire Department personnel on the scene to make his way into the brush to detain the suspect,” Rames related.

She said Sergeant Dwayne Degraff, Sergeant Sylvia Felix-Penn and Jocelyn Lee-Bobb, assisted Officer Stout with getting the suspect out from the bushes.

According to police, Frederick, was found to be in possession of jewelry, which was later reported missing from the residence by the owner.

Police in the USVI have noted there has been an increase of cases where the same individuals are being identified as committing crimes in the United States Virgin Islands and the Virgin Islands .

“The Virgin Islands Police Department and Police on Tortola continue to work closely together to solve these cases,” Rames related.            

Police Commissioner James H. McCall and Police Chief Rodney F. Querrard, Sr. expressed their appreciation to the concerned citizen who called in the burglary in progress, which led to the arrest of Frederick .

Commissioner McCall and Chief Querrard publicly commended the Supervisors and Officers who responded to this call for their excellent work in apprehending this suspect.

“The community got involved and assisted in this investigation,” McCall said.

 “The police cannot be everywhere at once, but once the community gets involved everybody benefits.”

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