Dunstan Whittingham
There is major concern among vendors and higglers operating in the downtown Kingston market district about their safety following a series of attacks by men carrying high powered rifles.
The vendors say the robberies have been taking place for the past several weeks at the Ray Ray Ground Market on West Street and claim there has been no action from the police.
The latest incident reportedly occurred early yesterday morning when men dressed in hoodies and carrying rifles raided the market and robbed vendors and other persons.
The robbery, which began before midnight, ended shortly after three in the morning.Persons were robbed of money, phones and other items.
President of the Jamaica Vendors', Higglers' and Markets Association, Dunstan Whittingham, told RJR News that the complaints are true.
“The criminals are well organised, where they use their phones to see when police move from one spot to another. So it is a cat and mouse game,”Whittingham said.
He added that the challenge is getting victims to report the incidents to the police.
Accorinding to Whittingham there has also been a resurgence of pickpockets and chain grabbers in the market district.
Meanwhile, when contacted, Crime Officer for the Kingston West Police Division, Detective Inspector Phillip Dodd, said he has not received reports of vendors being robbed by gunmen.
Inspector Dodd is appealing for vendors to report the incidents and give a statement which will give the police more power to act.
He adds that in relation to the chain grabbers and pickpockets, there are covert and overt police teams operating in the market district to catch the perpetrators.
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