MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Against the backdrop of recent crimes here, including an $8-million heist, Prime Minister Andrew Holness says he is concerned and announced that the police have assured that more resources are being deployed in Manchester.

“I can’t come to the peaceful, beautiful, serene parish of Manchester and not say how concerned I am [that] in recent times of Manchester featuring in the crime statistics in the way that it has featured, particularly as it relates to acquisitory crimes,” Holness said on Friday while addressing a handing-over ceremony under the social housing programme in Devon, north-east Manchester.

Holness’ comments follows an armed robbery on Thursday at a remittance outlet in Mandeville where four gunmen made off with more than $8 million. The robbery, which was captured on CCTV, showed the robbers moving workers at gunpoint before escaping with the money.

Holness said the police have been making progress in their investigations.

“The police have been working overtime here to try and bring the problem under control. I have had very long conversations with the commissioner of police about this challenge here and I have been assured that resources have been mobilised to treat with the problem,” said Holness.

“I take heart, however, in the fact that the brazen crimes that have been committed targeting our security industry, the armoured vehicle cash delivery segment of the industry, that those brazen crimes have not gone unsolved. Just today [Friday] it was announced that another suspect has been held and the police have dramatically improved their investigative and intelligence gathering capabilities,” said the prime minister.

Among the suspects arrested in connection with a recent $23-million robbery in Portmore, St Catherine, is a man who was wanted by the St Catherine police. He was arrested after acting suspiciously during spot check at the New Green roundabout in Mandeville on Tuesday. He was reportedly travelling in a public passenger vehicle.

Holness, meanwhile, warned criminals that they will be brought to justice.

“So I will say to those criminals who feel that they are going to benefit from the robbery that that is not going to be the case; it will become your worst nightmare. The police have been very strategic. They don’t always say what they are doing, but I know what they are doing and they are going to find you one by one and you will be brought before the justice system of the country [and] as I always say, you are going to get ‘radam’,” said the Prime Minister.

Less than an hour after the prime minister’s address, the Manchester police announced a two-day curfew in five communities.The curfew started at 6:00 pm on Friday and is set to end at 6:00 pm on Sunday. Among the communities under curfew are Old England, May Day, Richmond, Georges Valley and New Hall.”Based on the recent spate of violent crimes in the Old England, May Day, Richmond, Georges Valley and New Hall and its environs, the division’s intelligence and investigative arms have conducted investigation and surveillance in the abovementioned area,” said a police source.

The police said that, based on information received, the recent spate of crimes in the communities are linked to interpersonal disputes between rival gangsters.

During the hours of the curfew, people within the boundaries are required to remain within their premises unless authorised in writing by the ground commander.