Two armed robberies in Ocho Rios in a matter of three days have left business people scared and concerned. More than Five million dollars ($5-M) was stolen in the armed holdups close to the centre of town.In the first incident in the parking lot of Eight Rivers Plaza, last week Thursday, September 18, a cambio operator had just left Sagicor bank with more than $4 million dollars for the operation of his business and headed to his car when he was held up. The man was about to enter his vehicle when two men armed with guns took up position on either side of him and demanded the money he had. Reports indicate that the men had been in a car that had pulled up and parked beside the businessman’s vehicle. A third man, armed with a shot gun, remained at the steering wheel while the men took the bag of money from the businessman. They then drove off, exiting by the Buckfield end of the plaza, away from the busy development road. No shot was fired.
DOLLARS MEN
Then on Sunday, September 21, one of the well-known foreign exchange street vendors also called “dollars men” who conduct business across from the Burger King outlet, Ocho Rios was held up by a group of men also traveling in a car. It is reported that two men approached one of the dollars vendors pretending to want to do business and showed him a gun. The men demanded money. It is alleged that the seller who is easily identifiable among those in Ocho Rios, refused to hand over the money. Two shots were fired before the men took the money and ran off to a waiting car that took off along Main Street. The ‘dollars man’ whose name is being withheld by The Times, chased the car screaming for ‘Thief’. The car left the area and the matter was reported to police.Observers said the men seemed to have timed the hold-up and robbery, expecting the street at that time to be scanty as it was, allowing an easy escape.Business operators have pointed to these two latest among some six armed robberies in St Ann in the last three months, for which there have been no arrest.Prior to this, in August a remittance outlet in Moneague was robbed of just under two million dollars, most of it in cash. Not a shot was fired and no one was injured.And about a month before that, Trafalgar Travel, on Graham Street, Ocho Rios was entered by two armed men, posing as customers. Staff and customers were stripped of jewelry, personal items and a large amount of cash was also stolen. There was no violence. The men escaped in a car waiting on the highway.There has been no arrest in any of the cases.Sources indicate that it is the same team of men with good information that has carried out all or most of the robberies. However, assistant superintendent for Ocho Rios, Supt Troyville Haughton when quizzed about this theory said police could not confirm that and they were doing diligent investigations.
