A would-be robber got the surprise of his life yesterday morning when he was peppered with bullets after breaking into the home of a female cop in Manley Meadows, Kingston.

The dead man was not identified by the police but according to residents, he lives on Black Street in the adjacent McKintyre Villa community, more popularly known as Dunkirk.

According to people claiming knowledge of the facts who gathered at the house yesterday, the man – armed with a meat chopper – was among a group who tried to gain access through the cop’s second floor bedroom window.

“They used the people them ladder from next door to put on the woman’s window. It was more than one of them, but he (the dead man) entered through the window first and met his demise. His friends apparently did not need any more warning ’cause they ran after they heard the gunshots,” said a woman.

The man was shot at least six times, residents said.

According to deputy superintendent Michael Bailey, head of the Kingston East Police Division, the female cop was deeply traumatised by the incident and opted not to speak to the media.

Bailey said that the incident highlighted the community’s nagging problem of burglary and break-ins, which he said has been on the rise in recent weeks.

“There have been reports of a series of burglaries and break-ins both day and night in that community for the past two or three weeks. I can recall about three incidents before this morning’s incident,” Bailey said.

Although there have been no arrests, Bailey reassured residents that police presence have been increased in the area.

But until then however, residents like Watto, are prepared to challenge burglars “blow by blow”.