Three men charged in connection with series of crimes across the country
Published:Saturday | September 7, 2024 | 12:14 AMRuddy Mathison/Gleaner Writer
Authorities in St Catherine North have launched an extensive probe into three men of Kingston addresses, who are suspected of being involved in a series of crimes across St Catherine and other parishes.
The police have not yet released the names of the suspects, as investigations are ongoing.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Collin McKenzie, who heads the Criminal Investigations Branch in the Spanish Town North Division, confirmed that the three men have already been charged with several serious offences, including robbery with aggravation, possession of a prohibited weapon, unauthorised possession of ammunition, and using a firearm to commit a felony. The charges stem from a robbery that took place on August 22, 2024, in the Jericho district of St Catherine.
According to DSP McKenzie, the robbery occurred around 4:30 p.m., when four men in a white Nissan Teana arrived at a business place, brandished firearms, and robbed the female owner of an undetermined sum of money, assorted liquor, cigarettes, cell phones, and other valuables. The men then fled the scene in the same vehicle.
On August 25, acting on intelligence and utilising the Jamaica Eye surveillance system, the police intercepted a white Nissan Teana along the Spanish Town bypass around 11 a.m. A search of the vehicle uncovered a 9mm pistol loaded with 17 cartridges. Three men aboard the vehicle were arrested and subsequently placed in an identification parade, where one was positively identified, leading to the charges.
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“We are conducting further investigations as these men are not from St Catherine, they are from Kingston. So we are in communication with our counterparts to see if they are so involved, and if so, other organised crime charges will be laid against them,” DSP McKenzie stated.
The police are also exploring the possibility that these men may be connected to criminal activities in St Ann, St Mary, and St Elizabeth.
The public is urged to provide any information regarding recent robberies and shootings to the Spanish Town Criminal Investigations Branch.
Meanwhile, acting Senior Superintendent Hopeton Nicholson reported that a man, who was fatally shot during a shootout with security forces on Port Henderson Road, is suspected of involvement in two recent murders in the parish.
His identity is also being withheld pending further investigations.