Nagra Plunkett, Staff Reporter
Michael Forbes, otherwise known as 'Lassie'. - CONTRIBUTED
WESTERN BUREAU:
TWENTY-FIVE 'PERSONS of interest', including two escapees, have been identified by the Area One Police Division and are wanted for questioning in connection with crimes, as the police intensify their crackdown on crime in the division.
Warrants of arrest have been prepared for the men, who hail from the parishes of Trelawny, St. James, Westmoreland and Hanover, in connection with crimes such as murder and wounding with intent.
The two escapees are identified as Carl Watson of Mooreland in Westmoreland and Michael Forbes, also known as 'Lassie', of a Glendevon address in Montego Bay.
Watson reportedly fled the Frome Police Station in September 2004 while he was awaiting trial for the murder of David Campbell; while Forbes was an inmate at the Tamarind Farm Prison serving time for illegal possession of a firearm when he escaped in 2002.
Warrants have been issued for 10 persons in St. James, six in Westmoreland, four in Hanover, and five in Trelawny.
"The men are considered most wanted, some of them on the run for more than three years," Superintendent John Morris, Crime Chief for the Area One Police Division told The Gleaner. "We are also imploring the public to become involved in the fight against crime and support the police."
The parish of St. James is labelled as one of the three bloodiest police divisions in the Jamaica Constabulary Force, with a growing reputation for drug trafficking and gun crimes. To date, 113 murders have been recorded in the parish since the start of this year, 16 more than the total number committed in 2004.
Since January, there have been 22 homicides in Trelawny, 26 in Hanover, and 34 in Westmoreland.
