A St George’s shop owner who was robbed at gunpoint has called on the Bermuda Government to commit to a permanent increased police presence in the town.

Jan Card’s business, Vera P. Card, was targeted by three armed robbers last Wednesday who threatened staff before making off with a large quantity of jewellery.

In the wake of the raid, Mrs Card praised the response of police to the robbery and Government’s decision to bolster police in the town following a public meeting two weeks earlier.

But she insisted that “having a robust police presence in the town works”.

“What we need now is a commitment to a permanent increased presence,” Mrs Card added. “Even if this means putting temporary offices in the old prison yard until the full-time reopening of our police station.”

Earlier this week Jeff Baron, Minister of National Security, announced that the contract for expanding the island’s CCTV network to St George’s had been agreed.

However, he maintained that police presence enhanced safety as opposed to “a bricks-and-mortar structure”. Mrs Card added: “We in St George have seen and felt the recent crime wave building ever since our police station was closed.

“We have also frequently and consistently voiced these concerns through every available channel.

“Through our corporation to both Government and directly to the police and governor; at town meetings; through groups and individuals involved with the former Department of Tourism and now the BTA; through groups and associations to the local MPs and to party caucus members and directly to the Cabinets of the day and, finally, via direct appeals to the premiers of the day.

“No one who was or is part of the governing or security apparatus can claim not to have been warned that this kind of problem was coming.”