MANCHESTER, Jamaica — The Mandeville police are following strong leads into Monday’s robbery of a gas station bearer who was allegedly injured and robbed of approximately $2 million while on his way to make a deposit.

In confirming the incident, head of the Manchester police Superintendent Gary Francis told the Jamaica Observer this morning that the police are investigating claims by the bearer as to how he was robbed and other details surrounding the incident.

Police reports are that at about 9 am the bearer was approaching the entrance of the Scotiabank location on Caledonia road near the intersection with Ward Avenue when two men alighted from a motorcycle and attacked the bearer who had the money in his possession.

The men managed to escape.

The Press Association (PAJ) of Jamaica, in a release this morning, stated that a protest letter has been sent to Police Commissioner Major Antony Anderson following reports that a freelance photographer on assignment for the Jamaica Observer was “threatened, intimidated, and chased away” from the robbery scene by police personnel on Monday.

The release, authorised by President George Davis, said in part: “Even as we acknowledge the duty of the police to maintain control of crime and incident scenes, the PAJ asserts that the media have a legitimate role to play by informing the public of such events.”

— Kasey Williams