PORTLAND, Jamaica— The Portland Police have charged four men for multiple robberies that took place within the parish on Sunday, March 5 and Friday March 10.

Charged with robbery with aggravation, illegal possession of firearm, using a firearm to commit a felony, assault at common law, and receiving stolen property are:

1. Jermaine Phillips, 28, otherwise called ‘Bean’ a carpenter of Old Harbour Road in St Catherine;

2. Shamar Townsend, 37, otherwise called ‘DJ’ a mason of Old Harbour Road, St Catherine;

3. Joel Reid, 31, a construction worker of Snow Hill District, Portland; and

4. Alrick Jones otherwise called ‘Jojo’ construction worker of May Pen, Clarendon.

Reports are that at about 10:00 pm on Sunday, March 5, Phillips and Townsend entered a bar and pointed a firearm at a woman. They allegedly proceeded to rob her of $509,000 before making their escape.

Following that incident, on Monday, March 10 about 11:05 pm, two masked men armed with handguns exited a white Toyota Probox motor vehicle and ordered a female bartender, who was closing up, to go inside the bar. The men reportedly robbed her of a Samsung cellular phone, assorted liquor, cigarettes, and an undetermined sum of cash, while an unarmed man robbed a bystander of his cellular phone. The men then exited the bar and escaped.

The white Toyota Probox with three men aboard was subsequently intercepted along the Caenwood main road, in Portland. One of the stolen cellular phones was reportedly found in the men’s possession. The suspects were consequently taken into custody.

A series of police operations ensued which resulted in a quantity of liquor being recovered, the seizure of one Luger 9mm pistol with a magazine containing two cartridges and the arrest and charge of an additional man.

The four men were charged on Thursday, March 16 following identification parades. Their court date is to be finalised.