WESTERN BUREAU:
THE MONTEGO Bay police believe they have cracked a major cellular-stealing ring in the city with the arrest of one suspect this week. The man arrested is Mark Anthony Henry, 33, who is also known as 'Chris'. He was held with 22 cellphones, as well as a Ruger 9mm pistol, serial number #31294902, which had a magazine loaded with seven live 9mm rounds and three spent shells.
He was reportedly held at his home in Paradise, Norwood, and is now behind bars at the St. James Police Divisional Headquarters facing charges for the illegal weapon.
According to Constable Camille Tracey, a Constabulary Communication Network (CCN) officer, a team of police went to Henry's house at 6:00 a.m. to search the premises.
"It is said that on entering the house, they saw Henry place an object in the tank of a toilet. It was retrieved and later found to be a firearm," she said.
ASSORTMENT OF CELLPHONES
A further search of the accused man's house turned up an assortment of cellphones and the spent shells. He was subsequently charged with illegal possession of firearm and illegal possession of ammunition.
"We are asking members of the public, who have been victims of phone thefts to come forward," she appealed.
The latest find has pushed the number of illegal weapons recovered by the St. James police since the start of this year to 49.
There has been a spate of recent incidents in which pedestrians, especially females, have been robbed of cellphones in the town of Montego Bay. It is believed that most of the incidents were not reported to the police.
