Cops investigate robbery at UVI Wellness Center

CHARLOTTE AMALIE — Police are investigating an ambush robbery on the grounds of the University of the Virgin Islands’ St. Thomas campus Monday night.

The Criminal Investigation Bureau said a first-degree robbery was reported on Monday, December 22, 2025, at about 10:03 p.m., the Virgin Islands Police Department said.

While exiting the UVI Wellness Center, the victim observed two males wearing all black clothing running towards him, according to the VIPD.

One of the males struck the victim with a blunt object on his head and he heard one of the males say, “shoot him,” police said.

The assailants removed the victims’ iPhone, iPad, and jewelry, according to police.

The VIPD is asking anyone who may have witnessed the incident or has any information regarding the suspects to come forward. Individuals with information can report it by calling the 911 Emergency Call Center or contacting Detective S. Donastorg of the Criminal Investigation Bureau at 340-774-2211.

For those wishing to provide information anonymously, tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers USVI at 1-800-222-8477.

The Virgin Islands Police Department assures the public that all tips will be kept confidential,
allowing contributors to remain anonymous if they choose.

John F. McCarthy is a veteran journalist in the Caribbean, writing from the "Decision Space" where survival meets the surreal. His reporting steel was tempered by a lineage of legendary editors and broadcasters, including Ed Wynn Brant (The Bomb), Owen Eschenroder (Ann Arbor News), Lynelle Emanuel (BVI Beacon), and Charles Thanas (WSVI-TV). Alongside longtime colleague Kenneth C. "Casey" Clark, McCarthy has navigated the front lines of the territory’s history—from the 1997 volcanic "snow" to every major hurricane since Hugo. Known for leaning out of doorless helicopters to capture the "money shot," McCarthy now edits the V.I. Free Press, providing the essential link between the island's colonial past and its SpaceX future.