Wharf supervisor charged with stealing $2.7 million worth of petrol

A Hanover man who was arrested in July after allegedly stealing $2.7 million worth of petrol from the Petrojam wharf in Montego Bay was offered bail in the sum of $1 million when he appeared before the St James Parish Court last Friday.

Forty-three-year-old Andrew Allen, of a Hopewell address in Hanover, is charged with larceny from a wharf.

Allegations are that on July 24, Allen was employed as a location supervisor at the wharf. While carrying out his duties, he reportedly stole over 20,000 litres of petroleum as it was being offloaded at the site.

It is further alleged that on September 6, the police acted on information and arrested Allen at the Sangster International Airport as he was preparing to board a flight to the United States.

In making a bail application on Friday, Allen's attorney, Henry McCurdy, said his client has cooperated with the police since he was taken into custody.

"He was not aware that he was wanted by the police, and he was merely on duty at the wharf when the alleged incident occurred. He has cooperated with the police and has advised them about everything he has seen and heard," McCurdy told Parish Judge Sandria Wong-Small.

The court was also told that a number of documents are outstanding from the prosecution's case file, including statements from a justice of the peace.

Wong-Small subsequently offered bail to Allen on condition that he report to the police twice a week and surrender his passport. A stop order was also made, forbidding him from leaving the country at all ports of entry.

The case will be mentioned again on November 15.