Manchester police increase operations targeting praedial larceny
MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Police here say operations targeting praedial larceny have been ramped up with greater enforcement and monitoring of meat shops, markets and slaughterhouses in the parish.
Seven people, including a father and son, have been arrested and charged since the start of the year in relation to cases of praedial larceny in Manchester.
Operations officer for Manchester, Deputy Superintendent Collin Johnson told the Jamaica Observer that up to last Friday the police focused on several areas across the parish.
“The markets in Porus, Mandeville, Christiana; the slaughterhouses at Christiana, Berrydale, Comfort, and some other meat establishments to include shops, [were checked],” he said.
“Based on the number of reports that we have received in terms of larceny of animals — goats and cows — we carried out operations so it was the Manchester police, the health department, and the veterinary service department. A number of raids were carried out and persons searched. Five persons were found to be without food handlers’ permits and were warned for prosecution,” added Johnson.
He said the operations will be ongoing in the south-central parish to dent praedial larceny, and pointed to recent cases that have left farmers reeling.
“One January 11, two cows were butchered on a farm. February 19, two cows were butchered and one injured. The [culprits] used machetes to chop the cows in the field. On February 24 another two cows were butchered — their intestines were left on the ground — and three other cows [were injured] to the point where the farmer had to get the vet to put them to sleep,” Johnson explained.
“Four of [the seven arrested and charged] were for the larceny of goats and three for agricultural produce. The judge offered three of them bail in the sum of $600,000 each and they are to return to court on May 13. One of them has taken up the bail,” said Johnson.
One of the men charged for larceny of a goat was also wanted by the police for firearm charges and was among those denied bail, said Johnson.
