ST CATHERINE, Jamaica — One of six men believed to be responsible for the theft of telecommunications wires, which saw several rural St Catherine communities being left without Internet access last Friday, is expected to be charged in the coming week.

The man’s identity is being withheld at this time, as detectives continue to follow investigative leads in a bid to nab his accomplices.

The suspected thief was busted by the St Catherine North Police in an operation about 2:30 am last Wednesday.

The team had reportedly mounted a roadblock at Tulloch main road, when they observed two motor vehicles, a Toyota Probox and a Nissan Tiida.

According to the police, the drivers of the vehicles complied when they were signalled to stop, however, they both fled along with the other occupants of the vehicles on the approach of the police.

The police team reportedly chased the men and caught one of them while five others escaped.

The cables, which are said to be expansive in length, have since been identified by one of the local telecommunications companies. Detectives are working with the representatives as they finalise details of the case.

Senior Superintendent Beau Rigabie, commanding officer for the St Catherine North Division, said “the police will maintain their heightened vigilance to protect critical infrastructure even as the country has a higher dependency on them to function during the unprecedented times caused by the COVIID-19 pandemic.”