The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

POLICE are still struggling to get a handle on the sudden spike in armed robberies across the island.

Following a weekend that saw eight people held up, two more attacks occurred on Wednesday within an hour of each other.

In response, officers have reiterated their call for members of the public to come forward with any information that might assist with their investigations.

Police said during the first incident, the victim was visiting a friend at a home in South Beach when he was approached by two men armed with a handgun, who robbed him of jewellery.

The men left the scene in a gold Honda Accord. The incident happened at 10am.

In the other incident, a man was walking on Lincoln Boulevard when he was robbed of cash and jewellery by two men with a gun, police said. The culprits fled on foot.

Over the weekend, the island was plagued by eight armed robberies. Officers admitted on Sunday this is an area of crime police are struggling with.

While officers have yet to verify if the attacks are connected, Superintendent Stephen Dean said police have set in motion a plan to crackdown on armed robbery.

Mr Dean said: “We are just now analysing things, but I have noticed some trends. While we are doing well in certain areas; this area needs more of our attention.”

On Sunday Mr Dean said sometime this week, the police would “educate the public on what to look for and how to avoid becoming a victim”, however no such announcements were made.

The weekend spree came as police were investigating four armed robberies that occurred last Tuesday and Wednesday.

And, the Saturday before these attacks, 33-year-old Neremy Noel was shot in the back and killed in Garden Hills after he and another man were robbed of their cell phones and a laptop by two men armed with a handgun.

Mr Dean promised the public would see an intensified police presence in a number of communities in response to these armed robberies.