Attempted robbery traumatises security guard

The news of another armoured vehicle being attacked in Braes River, St Elizabeth, on Wednesday has brought painful memories to one of the four Beryllium security guards who was ambushed three weeks ago in Portmore, St Catherine, as they attempted to service an automated banking machine.

John* told THE WEEKEND STAR that he was recuperating well but was forced to relive the trauma he experienced on March 19 after news broke of the failed heist.

"Is like mi start hear di gunshots all over again, and a see mi colleagues a battle wid dem. Everything just a flashback," he said. "It is not a good look because yuh have innocent people a lose dem life inna something dem not even a part of. Yuh get up and gone work this morning and dem husband, wife or mother get a call say yuh pickney dead. Too much guns deh yah right now mi a tell yuh." John said that the situation will only get worse if the perpetrators remain hopeless.

"Weh Jamaica need right now to solve all problem is a better hope for the future. Every day di youth dem deh yah a tek up dem guns and a say dem hungry and wah something fi eat. Yuh see the minimum wage weh dem raise up wah day? It can help, but only to an extent because price a go up every day. The Government must find a way to appeal to the younger generation so that dem can feel comfortable to go out there and work," he said.

He suggested that each community should have a strong liaison who can bridge the communication gap between the Government and unattached youth.

"It no really hard fi solve, everybody nah go have the same opinion and mindset. But I think without strong leaders in some of these communities, where if a youth weh feel stress and can't go to [someone] and get some sort of assistance, it ago continue and get worse and worse," he said. "Di only thing dem a turn to now a rum. What the people in power can do is to find that person who can bridge that gap between dem and the youth," he said.

In Wednesday's incident, reports are that about 1:30 p.m., the security guards were travelling along Bogue main road heading to Balaclava when a motor car with several gunmen abroad stopped in front of the cash courier van. The men reportedly attempted to block the road but the guards were able to evade the roadblock. The criminals shot at the vehicle as it escaped. Guardsman Group's Corporate Communications head, Lieutenant Commander George Overton, disclosed that no one was injured in the incident and no money was stolen. There was minor damage to the vehicle.

Head of the St Elizabeth police, Superintendent Kenneth Chin, told THE WEEKEND STAR that the police have already processed the van and collected statements from the guards.

"We got very vague description of the vehicle that the criminals drove and have attempted to intercept several vehicles. The description was very general, so we were not able to zero in on which type of vehicle nor who we were looking for specifically. Based on how quickly the incident unfolded, the guards were unable to give a proper description," he said.