WESTERN BUREAU — Five men, at least two of whom were armed with handguns, yesterday robbed a Digicel store in Montego Bay of an undetermined sum of money and cellular phones, bringing to 175 the number of robberies committed in St James this year.

The cellular phone store, U2 Connect Communications, which is located along Market Street in the city, closed its doors following the afternoon robbery.

The two employees present at the time were unharmed but shaken by the incident.

“I can’t even talk about how I’m feeling now,” a sales clerk told the Observer.

Constabulary Communication Network officer for the parish, Peter Salkey said the robbers entered the store at about 1:30 pm.

He said two of the men brandished firearms and demanded money as the others stood guard with bulges in their waists. All five later took the money and phones and escaped on foot.

The Atlas Protection security guard, who is usually stationed at the store’s door, was having lunch at a nearby restaurant at the time and has expressed regret at not having been present at the time of the incident.

“Like the policeman said I could have pressed the buzzer (if I was here). Mi just feel bad about the situation,” the young guard who has worked at the store for the past three weeks said.

His superior, Errol Gayle would not comment on the future of his employment with the security company, and would only say if investigations would be conducted. But he made it clear that even if the guard was present he would not have been expected to accost the men since he was unarmed.

Gayle said if he had been present, the guard, whom he described as “a reasonable worker”, would have been expected to take note of the men in order to later assist the police in their investigations.