Family charged after 19-gun heist offered bail
Published:Tuesday | October 29, 2019 | 12:08 AMAdrian Frater/News Editor
Western Bureau:
Three family members charged in connection with the theft of 19 guns and a quantity of ammunition from a security company in Montego Bay, St James, in May have been offered bail in the collective sum of $800,000 and instructed to surrender their travel documents.
The trio – businessman Courtney Morgan; his daughter, clerk of the court, Tara Morgan; and her mother, Pauline Smith, the directors of the security company from which the weapons were stolen – were charged with several offences, including negligent loss of firearms and operating a private security entity without being the holder of a valid licence.
A senior investigator told The Gleaner that Tara Morgan is charged with 19 counts of negligent loss of firearms and one count of negligent loss of ammunition, while her parents are charged with operating a private security entity without being the holder of a valid licence.
In addition to surrendering their travel documents, the bail conditions also require that Courtney Morgan and Smith report to the Granville Police Station in St James on Saturdays, while their daughter, who is based in Kingston, must report to the Duhaney Park Police Station on the same day.
The Gleaner understands that some time between May 23 and 24, thieves broke into the Ironshore-based offices of the security company and stole the weapons and ammunition, which the directors claim were securely locked away.
In addition to the guns and ammunition, the robbers also stole three motorcycles and two desktop computers, along with the recording device attached to the closed-circuit television system.
Courtney Morgan reportedly told the police that he had securely locked the office before leaving on Labour Day. When he returned the following day, he discovered that several padlocks on the grilles and doors had been broken. He subsequently found out that the metal safe containing the company firearms had been forced open and the guns and ammunition stolen.
What was stolen
• Fifteen .38 revolvers
• Four shotguns
• A quantity of 12-gauge ammunition
• A quantity of .38 ammunition
• Three motorcycles
• Two desktop computers
• CCTV recording device