The Jamaica Star :: News :: Cops battle steel pirates

Dwayne Mcleod / Marlon Vickerman, Staff Reporters

A rise in the price of steel has created a black market for the product.

Since January, the price of steel has reportedly increased some five times due to a worldwide shortage of the commodity. As a result, criminals have been preying on haulage trucks or any other means of acquiring the commodity before offering it for sale at a reduced cost, the police say. On average, a tonne of steel is now sold for approximately $120,000. The police, however, say they are unaware of the street price at which stolen steel is resold.

Preventative measures

Detective Constable Michael Phillips of the Area Four police told THE STAR that the police have been working at preventing these thefts.

"Recently, there has been a number of reports, at least five in the last month or so, where steel theft is concerned. In at least two cases, trucks transporting steel were robbed while in the other cases, they were stolen from construction sites," the detective explained.

Last month, the police recovered 35 tonnes of steel after armed thugs hijacked a truck just as it left a business on Bell Road, near Three Miles in Kingston 11.

Subsequent investigations by Operation Kingfish and the Hunt's Bay Police reportedly led them to a premises in Bull Bay where the steel was found.

One suspect was held in that incident and is now before the court.

Checks by THE STAR also uncovered report of a major steel heist in Trelawny.

Went missing

A Trelawny businessman and three security guards were reportedly charged in connection with the theft of $2.2 million worth of steel from a construction site in the parish.

Arrested in connection with that incident are 35-year-old businessman Oliver Warren, who also reportedly operates a hardware store, Everton Watt, 31, of Bethel Town, Westmoreland, 26-year-old Rohan Gordon of Old Harbour, St. Catherine and Kashief Bryan, 23, of Robins Bay in St. Mary.

According to the Falmouth police, on June 22, a police team raided Warren's business after receiving information that some of the steel item were taken to the premises.

Further reports are that $200,000 worth of the steel, which went missing, was found at the premises..

Charged with larceny

All four were subsequently charged with larceny and unlawful possession, and are now also before the courts.

Meanwhile, the police say they will remain vigilant in deterring activities involved in supplying the illegal market.

"This poses a serious threat to anyone who might get in the way of these criminals, who go all out to supply the black market...so we definitely will be looking to do our best to discourage their actions," detective Phillips said.