Four men charged over robberies in Portland

The Portland police have charged four men in relation to robberies committed in the parish.

Charged with robbery with aggravation, possession of a prohibited weapon, using a firearm to commit a felony, assault at common law, and receiving stolen property are 28-year-old carpenter Jermaine Phillips, otherwise called 'Bean',  and 37-year-old mason Shamar Townsend, otherwise called 'DJ', who are both from Old Harbour Road, St Catherine.

Also charged are 31-year-old Joel Reid, a construction worker of Snow Hill district, Portland and Alrick Jones, otherwise called 'Jojo', a construction worker of May Pen, Clarendon.

The police report that about 10 p.m. on Sunday, March 05, Phillips and Townsend entered a bar and pointed a firearm at a woman.

They reportedly proceeded to rob her of $509,000 and then escaped.

Following that incident, on Monday, March 10 about 11:05 p.m., two masked men armed with handguns exited a white Toyota Probox motor car and ordered a female bartender, who was closing up, inside the establishment, according to the police.

The men allegedly robbed her of a Samsung cell phone, liquor, cigarettes, and an undetermined sum of cash, while an unarmed man robbed a bystander of his cell phone, the police reported.

The men then exited the bar and fled.

Subsequently, the police say a white Toyota Probox with three men aboard was intercepted along the Caenwood main road in the parish.

According to the police, one of the stolen cell phones was found in their possession.

They were consequently taken into custody.

A series of police operations ensued which resulted in a quantity of liquor being recovered.

The police say they also seized a Luger 9mm pistol with a magazine containing two 9mm cartridges and the arrest and charge of an additional man.

The four men were charged on Thursday, March 16 following identification parades.

Their court date is to be finalised.

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