Police hunt on for gunmen

Local police are seeking the help of the public to find four men who fled the scene in North Leeward Tuesday leaving behind a 25-foot wooden boat and a haul of illegal items that are said to have originated from Dominica. {{more}}

The men, said to be of Dominican and Guadeloupe descent, left behind a number of items including 296 rounds of assorted ammunition, a rifle with a silencer, a shotgun, a nine millimetre pistol, two thousand Euros and a number of other contraband items, including a microwave and a full camouflage army suit.

The seizure was made in the Petit Bordel/Chateaubelair area during a joint operation by the Coast Guard, the Rapid Response Unit and members of the local constabulary based on the leeward side of the island.

The items were displayed at a press conference held Wednesday at the conference room of the Central Police Station in Kingston.

During the press conference, Commissioner of Police William Harry said that the police, acting on information, responded to the Petit Bordel/Chateaubelair area, at which time the four occupants fled the scene on land.

He said the police currently had information on where the suspects are hiding. “I want to take this opportunity to remind our citizens that it is an offence to harbour criminals,” said the Commissioner.

He said the Guadeloupe police want one of the men for a series of offences: “I encourage residents in the area or anyone who knows the whereabouts of these men to come forward and assist the police”.

Harry said that one of the guns, a .22 calibre rifle that was fitted with a silencer, is of real concern, “since no one would have such a weapon without a sinister motive”. Harry also expressed concern over the fact that some of the bullets were a type of very dangerous hollow-point shots.

Among items displayed was a hand made shotgun from an incident in Collins that showed the technical ability which persons in St.Vincent possess according to Commissioner Harry.