MANCHESTER, Jamaica — Superintendent of the Manchester Police Division, Wayne Cameron, has reported that three men are now in custody on suspicion of robbery of students of the Mandeville-based campus of the Northern Caribbean University (NCU).

He said that they were arrested on Tuesday following an operation in the Avondale Heights and Cedar Grove areas, on the outskirts of the university, where many students reside.

Cameron said that cell phones, SIM cards, flash drives and a homemade hand gun were confiscated during the process.

“We will be putting them on ID (identification) parade,” he told OBSERVER ONLINE.

The divisional commander also revealed that at least two other men are still being sought.

There have been concerns, particularly in recent weeks, about attacks on students of the university.

Cameron said that since he took on the position as commander for Manchester in October, seven incidents of robbery involving NCU students have been reported.

He said a “special initiative”, now in place to address the matter, will be continued until the end of the school term.

Meanwhile, he informed OBSERVER ONLINE that the police are advising the students on ways in which they can reduce the likelihood of being attacked.

It is not unusual, he said, for members of the police’s Community Safety and Security Branch to also go into schools and universities to pass on messages that will assist students to protect themselves.

One such interaction is slated to take place at the beginning of the new school term, he said.

Cameron added that advice that has been given to students of the Northern Caribbean University include walking in groups and using the shuttle bus system that is in place.

In a statement on Monday, interim president of the University, Professor Marilyn Anderson, also urged the students to make use of the shuttle service, which is free.

“This shuttle service, which has been in place for over a month, serves to provide a safe means of transportation after evening classes, to off-campus residences and locations in Mandeville and its environs,” she said in a news release.

Cameron said that as a means of caution students can also seek police guidance when trying to find places to rent.

Alicia Sutherland