During a recent meeting with residents of Top Hill district in the St Catherine North Police Division, a senior law enforcer appealed to residents of the general Lluidas Vale area to take the necessary precautions to safeguard their homes and animals from criminals.

Inspector Ishmael Williams made the appeal as Top Hill residents expressed concern about criminal activities in their district and nearby communities such as Point Hill and Lluidas Vale proper.

Residents, during the community meeting held at Top Hill Primary School, expressed fear that members of their community may be importing criminals to perpetrate the nefarious acts. They also rubbished a claim made by one resident, Roy ‘Ricky’ Osbourne, that there is no hardcore criminal residing in the community.

“Everybody know everybody up yah soh. Most they will say, a man tief a man goat,” Osbourne said, resulting in a backlash.

Another resident, who did not disclose her name in the meeting, told the police that she has to sleep outdoors in an effort to ensure thieves don’t make off with her goats.

“You [Inspector Williams] said we should take the necessary precaution to protect our homes, especially our livestock. What if the necessary precaution [does not work]? Mi have two goat and mi haffi a sleep outa door a night-time [to protect them],” the woman told the police, much to the amusement of some residents.

Top Hill residents, in the meantime, lauded the Lluidas Vale police for organizing the meeting, adding that it should be replicated elsewhere.

There are reports of rising criminal activities in the traditionally quiet farming community of Top Hill, which recorded what some believe to be its first gun murder in January this year. In that incident, gunmen robbed patrons at a bar in the Cock Crow area of the community and fatally shot 35-year-old Omar Newton, who was hearing and speech impaired. Another man was shot and wounded. At least one minor from outside the community has been charged so far for the armed robbery and murder.

The featured image shows a police constable on duty during a recent event in the Top Hill area of Lluidas Vale, St Catherine.


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