ST JAMES, Jamaica — Divisional Commander for St James, Senior Superintendent of Police, (SSP) Egbert Parkins says Friday morning’s firebombing of the Amity Hall police station may have been a reprisal for the dismantling of a car-stealing ring, which was uncovered by the police in that section of the parish.
“We believe that the fire-bombing of the station may be linked to a car stealing ring which we uncovered earlier this week. So far we have made one arrest and are looking for other persons,” SSP Parkins said, declining to give details.
The police station and a service vehicle were damaged when two Molotov cocktails were thrown onto the premises at about 1:05 am, during a power outage in the deep rural farming community.
Quick action by the four police personnel, who were reportedly at the station at the time of the attack, prevented the building and the vehicle from being destroyed.
“The police acted quickly after brazen attacks by persons using Molotov cocktails. The officers were able to put out the fire on the verandah of the station and quickly doused the fire on the back section of a police pick-up vehicle that was parked on the premises,” said SSP Parkins.
No one was injured in the incident.
Meanwhile, residents of Amity Hall have condemned the attack on the police station.
“I don’t know why somebody would want to attack the police station. The police there are good people. Mi feel bad about the whole thing,” said Phillip Shaw, who has been living in the community for more than 50 years.
Another resident described the incident as “a blatant attack on the State,” and pledged to assist the police in finding the perpetrators.
Mark Cummings
