On a day when Police Commissioner Major General Antony Anderson and National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang toured police stations, and other government officials and dignitaries converged in the area, gunmen carried out a daring robbery, driving terror into locals and visitors on Montego Bay’s Gloucester Avenue.

Hours before the city’s famed Hip Strip was renamed Jimmy Cliff Boulevard in honour of the international reggae icon, four men armed with handguns forced their way into the Spice World supermarket and forced the employees, along with local and overseas shoppers, to lie on the floor before robbing them of cash and other valuables.

A JUTA tour bus operator, who was present in the establishment, was also reportedly robbed of his licensed firearm.

Bhasker Sharu, the operator of Spice World, told The Gleaner that he is still reeling from the incident, which took place about 10:40 a.m.

“I have been at this location since the past 18 years, and this is the first that something like this has ever happened,” said Sharu. “It is very hard to come to terms with the fact that we were robbed during the visit of the police commissioner and the minister of national security and in the middle of preparations for the Gloucester Avenue to be renamed to Jimmy Cliff Boulevard.

“It is very hard to know that this took place in a supermarket, which was filled with tourists and locals. It could have been more serious. Tourists could have been seriously hurt. And to think that these gunmen are brave enough to come here, they will soon consider robbing the hotels,” Sharu continued.

“Crime in St James is definitely out of hand, and we definitely need more security personnel along Gloucester Avenue. We need a proper camera system and more police in this area on a daily basis.”

The St James police have confirmed the incident and are now investigating the robbery.