The JPS has said that 525 street lights have been stolen across the island since the start of 2021.

Many communities across the island are plagued with this theft, the company said in a statement, with the highest incidences being in Portmore, Linstead and Guy’s Hill in St Catherine; Port Maria, St Mary; Ocho Rios, St Ann; and Montego Bay, St James.

Even the newly constructed Chesterfield Drive extension road on the outskirts of Seaview Gardens in St Andrew, which was built as an alternative route to bypass Three Miles and a section of Spanish Town Road during recent road improvement works, has had a significant number of its street lights and electrical wires stripped by thieves.

JPS said that it has reached the milestone of having approximately 80 per cent of Jamaica’s street lights being smart LEDs. The company said that as it continues with upgrades and with repairing defective lights, thieves are reducing the benefits that customers should experience.

“Well-lit public areas are important for us as a society. The increased public lighting helps with matters of security, vehicular and pedestrian transportation, and nightlife activities, when we are again able. Street light theft affects not just JPS, but our customers and we encourage persons to report to JPS and/or the police any known perpetrators,” stated Blaine Jarrett, JPS’s senior vice-president for energy delivery.

JPS said it was also advising the public to beware of people carrying out street light repair scams.

The company said that no money should be given to individuals promising to fix defective street lights.

“At no time will JPS be asking individuals to collect money on their behalf. This scam has been detected in Plantation Village, St Ann and the company is carrying out investigations,” the electricity provider said in the statement.