St Bess cops get high praise for swift action after Maggotty supermarket robbery
Published:Monday | November 18, 2024 | 12:05 AM
Everton Fisher, councillor for the Balaclava division in St Elizabeth, has expressed appreciation to the parish’s police, headed by Superintendent Coleridge Minto, for arresting and charging two suspects in connection with the robbery of a supermarket in Maggotty last month. The robbery resulted in the death of a resident.
Speaking at the monthly meeting of the St Elizabeth Municipal Corporation (StEMC) last Thursday, Fisher stated that, although he was experiencing “mixed reactions” due to the loss of a close friend, he was “a bit glad” that justice was brought in a timely manner.
He added that, while the police are occasionally “bashed” by the public, he believed that in this instance they acted with “alacrity”.
“I would want to make sure that I am on record, on behalf of the family, to thank the police in St Elizabeth for their work,” he said.
He continued that words were not enough to express how admirable the police’s actions were, and that, as councillor for the area, he wished to issue a renewed appeal to the populace to unite and support the police in “cutting down the monster of crime”.
Police service vehicle
Additionally, Fisher pleaded with National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang to make sure that the police have sufficient vehicles to carry out their duties.
“I hear councillor [Layton] Smith (People’s National Party, Myersville division) many times speaking about the need, I want to say in this situation [in] Maggotty, probably things could’ve been different. Not blaming anybody, but when the police got the call there was no service vehicle, they had to put the man in his own [vehicle] to head to the hospital and I think lack of attention probably caused all that transpired,” he added.
Minto, in his presentation to the council, stated that the men were on Thursday morning charged with the offences of murder, conspiracy, robbery with aggravation, using a firearm to commit a felony, possession of an prohibited weapon, and unauthorised possession of ammunition.
They have been identified as 30-year-old Ramanno Smile, otherwise known as ‘Smile’ or ‘Little Smile’, an electrician; and 35-year-old Sean Reid, otherwise known as ‘Sogie’. Both are from Knockpatrick, Manchester.
Minto further revealed that there were two other suspects who the police are pursuing.
“At an appropriate time, I will name them as persons of interest for the public,” he said.
According to reports, on October 19 around midday, armed men proceeded to rob the supermarket after posing as customers.
One of the men brandished a handgun, and the other stood at the door as the lookout.
The man with the gun allegedly jumped over the counter and robbed the owner of an undetermined number of phonecards, cigarettes and money.
During the robbery, 62-year-old Aggrey Atkinson, a businessman of Russell Hill district, St Elizabeth, was shot and killed.
The men escaped in a waiting motorcar.
“Many calls came, many persons who knew this honourable man and certainly, this incident sent shock waves across the parish, the country,” Minto said.
He went on to urge locals and stakeholders to report any information they may have that could help the police with their investigations or to alert them to activities occurring in their neighbourhood that might make the area unsafe.