MORE than 1,220 illegal connections were yesterday removed from Jamaica Public Service (JPS) infrastructure in the community of Jones Town, St Andrew.

According to the JPS, what began as a routine effort to encourage regularisation ended with hundreds of residents surrounding and threatening JPS crews with violence.

“The team subsequently left the community after encouraging residents to do the right and safe thing, by becoming legal JPS customers. The electricity theft rate in Jones Town is well over 90 per cent,” the light and power company said.

“This is not the first time that JPS teams have come under threat from persons in various communities, who have either interrupted or completely halted the work of teams which are trying to carry out operations to promote regularisation,” said a release from the JPS.

The company last night appealed to the public not to interfere with crew members carrying out their lawful duties, but rather to become regularised for the safety of their families and personal property.