By Glenroy Sinclair, Staff ReporterTWELVE PERSONS have been detained and two firearms seized following a prolonged gun battle between heavily armed men and members of the security forces, after a multimillion-dollar robbery at Tools Hardware and Supplies Ltd. warehouse, on Orange Street, Kingston early Sunday morning.
"They will all be charged for breaking and entering, but we are conducting further investigations because some of them will (also) be charged for the guns and ammunition," Superintendent Carlton Wilson, head of the Kingston Central Police Division told The Gleaner yesterday.
Among the detainees is a security guard who was supposed to be on duty at the time. He should have been monitoring the close circuit cameras which are located across the perimeter boundary of the compound. It is alleged that up to the time when members of the security forces clashed with the gunmen, the guard had not called his armed response team or the police for any assistance.
Reports are that the police are in the process of reviewing the surveillance tapes to establish the identity of the persons involved in the robbery and searches are currently being conducted at the premises of some of the detainees.
There are reports that dozens of men began breaking into the warehouse and removing goods from as early as 9:00 p.m. Saturday, and this continued up until after 2:00 a.m. Sunday morning. A truck was parked in the vicinity waiting to transport some of the goods.
Supt. Wilson said the running gun battle began shortly after 3:00 a.m. Reports are that a joint police/military patrol spotted a man with some of the goods on Orange Street and took him to the Denham Town Police Station.
OPENED FIRE
Further reports are that the patrol later came across a group of men in the vicinity of the old Abdulla C. Marzouca building. According to Supt. Wilson, the men immediately opened fire at the patrol.
"The patrol had to call for reinforcement. Some of the men ran into the nearby Orange Villa Housing Scheme, which we cordoned off until day break. With additional men we searched the place, found the guns and some of the men," said Supt. Wilson.
Reports reaching The Gleaner are that at one stage the gunmen outnumbered the lawmen, some of whom were pinned down for a brief period. As reinforcement arrived the gunmen began retreating in a running gun battle, which woke up scores of residents in the neighbouring communities.
A warehouse staffer at Tools Hardware and Supplies said among the stolen items were porcelain lamps, bed sheets, bicycles, fans, clocks, rugs, bathroom sets and cushions.
Head of the Area 4 CIB, Superintendent Calvin Benjamin, said the hands of the detainees were swabbed and instructions were given for statements to be collected from the soldiers who were involved in the shooting.
He said the detainees are from sections of West Kingston, St. Andrew South and East Kingston.
