NEW information is emerging that the criminals responsible for the horrific rape of five females, including an eight-year-old child in St James last Monday, may have committed other rapes in the parish.

A police source revealed to the Jamaica Observer over the weekend that this is one of the angles being pursued by investigators trying to solve the crime that electrified the country last week. The source declined to say over what period these alleged rapes were committed but claimed police were following a number of strong leads in this regard.

"Police are viewing a number of case files involving past rapes and robberies in the parish," the police source said. It is believed that persons involved in the attack on the females could have been involved in similar attacks in the past," the source said.

Commanding officer in charge of St James, Superindent Andrew Lewis, declined to comment on the reports of the perpetrators' possible involvement in previous, similar attacks.

Meanwhile, the two suspects held in connection with the case remain behind bars awaiting interrogation by investigators this week.

The police have also repeated the call for citizens, especially those from the community in which the assault occurred to remain calm and assist the police in their probe.

Last Tuesday the nation was stung into outrage by the gruesome reports of how the eight-year-old child, two other girls — aged 14 and 16 — and two adult women were raped by gunmen.

The group of female family members became the victims of a traumatic home invasion late Monday night when at approximately 10:00 pm two men — one of whom was armed — gained access to the house after they grabbed onto one of the females through a window, and demanded that the door be opened.

All five females were held at gunpoint, then taken to a nearby abandoned lot and raped.

Police said the men also robbed the occupants of an undetermined sum of cash and other valuables before escaping.

On Friday scores of Jamaicans staged several protests across the island to voice their disgust.