By Vivian Tyson

Observer staff reporter

WESTERN BUREAU – The recently-formed St James Crime Unit has smashed a stolen motor vehicle ring that stretched across four parishes and targeted used car dealers.

Four men, one of whom is the suspected mastermind, were arrested and three vehicles – a 1999 Toyota Hiace minibus, a 1999 Toyota Townace minibus, and a 1997 Nissan Pathfinder – were seized.

Police named the arrested men as Steve McKenzie, 29, a mechanic of Clark Street in Mount Salem and Flankers, St James; Dennis Richards otherwise called ‘Gawna’, 40, a farmer of McKenzie district in St Ann; Ian Grant, 28, a businessman also of McKenzie in St Ann; and Donovan Powell, 34, a cabinet maker of Zambia in St Catherine. They have all been charged with motor vehicle theft and larceny.

According to investigating officer Lenroy Arnett, the police suspected that the men stole motor vehicles from the lots of used car dealers and sold them at drastically reduced prices.

The Townace was stolen from Brothers Motors car lot on Humber Avenue, Montego Bay on September 1, while the Hiace was stolen from another car lot on September 11, the same day that Hurricane Ivan was raking the island. It was not immediately clear when and from where the Pathfinder was stolen.

The 24-hour operation to smash the racket began at 6:30 am last Friday when the police, acting on information, went to Clark Street in Mount Salem, St James where they held McKenzie with the Townace.

McKenzie’s arrest led the cops to Mandeville, Manchester where the Pathfinder was allegedly found in possession of one of the accused.

Further investigations led the police to St Catherine where they found the Hiace, a number of what appeared to be authentic documents, including fitness and registration certificates, titles, along with a wide assortment of car keys at the house of another of the accused.

The investigators said one of the reasons the men specialised in stealing vehicles from car marts had to do with the fact that they are harder to trace because they are fitted with the original documents.

The police also suspect that a number of other dealers have fallen victim to the thieves. As a result, they are asking car dealers who have been affected to contact the police.

A court date has not yet been set for the accused, as the police said they are still investigating and they expect to make more arrests.

Since the implementation of the St James Crime Unit about two months ago, the unit has broken two stolen motor vehicle rings that were operating nationally. They have also picked up a number of wanted men and seized a number of illegal firearms.