Over 15 persons – including women and children – were left homeless as a result of a fire, believed to be the work of arsonists, in Portmore Villa, Gregory Park, St Catherine on Sunday.
Sleuths from the Portmore Criminal Investigations Branch are reporting that at about 5:30 am, the victims were awoken by several men, some of whom were armed with rifles and handguns.
The hoodlums reportedly kicked opened the doors to their dwellings and took away their cellular phones.
The gunmen then poured a substance believed to be gasoline before setting ablaze all eight bedrooms. The assailants managed to escape. No injuries were reported by the police.
The police and fire department were alerted and on their arrival, three premises were seen engulfed in flames.
Cooling-down operations were conducted. The estimated damage has not yet been ascertained.
“The police will be increasing their presence in the area and we ask all law-abiding citizens to cooperate with the joint military operatives. The St Catherine South Police will not relent in their efforts, and we will continue to conduct operations to reduce the opportunities for criminals to commit crimes,” said Superintendent of Police Hopton Nicholson, acting divisional commander for the St Catherine South Division.
In the meantime, investigators are appealing to anyone with information that can assist them with identifying these men to contact them at 876-949-8403, police 119 emergency number, Crime Stop at 311 or the nearest police station.
