St. Kitts and Nevis law enforcement authorities have launched a full investigation into a recent armed robbery at a local grocery store in Sandy Point, while also closing out a separate 2023 robbery case with convictions and sentencing for two local defendants.
According to an official media release from the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force (RSCNPF), the latest incident unfolded at Panda Grocery, a popular retail outlet in the Sandy Point district of St. Kitts, between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. local time on September 5, 2026. Preliminary investigative findings confirm that two masked individuals, both armed, gained entry to the store and threatened staff at gunpoint to hand over all available cash from the registers and safe.
After stealing an undisclosed amount of local currency, the two suspects fled the crime scene on a bright red motor scooter, heading toward the capital city of Basseterre. Local law enforcement confirmed that no staff or customers were harmed during the confrontation, a small relief amid the unsettling incident.
Shortly after the robbery, members of the RSCNPF’s specialized Crime Scene Unit responded to the location to conduct forensic processing. Investigators confirmed they have collected multiple pieces of physical evidence that are expected to help identify and apprehend the fleeing suspects as the probe moves forward. Police have not yet released any additional details about potential persons of interest or updates on the manhunt as of Wednesday morning.
In a related update tied to the Sandy Point community, law enforcement also confirmed sentencings for two local residents convicted of a separate, unrelated robbery that took place in the nearby Belle Vue neighborhood back on November 3, 2023. The sentencing hearing was held September 2, 2026, at the Basseterre High Court, overseen by His Lordship Justice Patrick Thompson Jr. Both defendants, Zhane Warner and Sadonis Jarvis, were found guilty of felony robbery charges following a two-week trial.
Warner received a two-year custodial sentence that has been suspended for a three-year probationary period, with strict additional court-imposed conditions. One of the core requirements is that Warner must pay a monthly fine of 750 Eastern Caribbean dollars (EC$) for 36 consecutive months, starting October 1, 2026. The court issued a formal warning that any violation of the probation terms will result in an immediate revocation of the suspended sentence, and Warner will be ordered to serve the full two-year term in state custody.
Co-defendant Jarvis received a harsher sentence: four years of imprisonment at His Majesty’s Prison in St. Kitts. In addition to the custodial term, the court ordered Jarvis to pay 5,000 EC$ in direct compensation to the victim of the 2023 robbery, with payment due within 12 months of his release from incarceration.