EIGHT suspects who were being held at the Freeport Police Station in connection with the recent spate of robberies in St James were this week released, after complainants failed to identify them during an identification parade.

Identification parades were scheduled to be held last week Monday and Wednesday but the police were unable to conduct them, due to the absence of complainants.

Members of the business community had complained that they were reluctant to participate in the identification parade because of flaws in the one-way mirror system. But the shortcomings, which included deficient lighting on the suspects’ side and the lack of an air conditioning unit on the witness side, were fixed in time for Monday’s viewing.

Concerns were also raised that witnesses were at risk of retribution from those pointed out.

Constabulary Communications Network liaison officer for St James, Peter Salkey, told the Observer Thursday that the ID parade was held at about 4::00 pm on Monday, but the suspects were not positively identified by the complainants.

The eight were detained nearly three weeks ago, during a police operation in the Norwood community of St James.

The police said that during the operation a large quantity of jewellery, cheque leaves, household appliances and over $150,000 in cash were seized.

The lawmen said that based on the articles recovered they believe that the men were involved, late last year, in a number of robberies at well-known business establishments in the Montego Bay area.

Among the places robbed were the Pelican Grill restaurant on Gloucester Avenue, Sinclair’s Texaco service station in Ironshore; Yong Xing Mini Mart along McCatty Street, People’s Co-operative Bank in Anchovy, Tony’s Pizza and Auction Auto Parts.