MOB BEAT’S GOLD THIEF

Rasbert Turner, Star Writer

A man accused of grabbing a woman’s gold chain from her neck in Old Harbour, St Catherine, on Friday was held and given a sound beating by residents.

For the past two weeks, the community has been thrown into the limelight after gold thieves killed a policewoman and robbed several people of their jewellery. Residents, apparently fed up with the spike in gold robberies, took out their frustration on the alleged chain grabber.

The Star was just in time to the see the bearded man on the ground trying to crawl away from the furious residents. “Murder, murder,” the man cried as blows rained down on parts of his bruised body.

Each time he attempted to get up in an effort to run from the residents, he was given several kicks and punches. The more he cried, the more blows he got.

grab di chain

“Di bwoy bright, after di woman go inside a di clothes store, him just grab di chain and run out near di market and up pon Ascot Drive weh him get ketch,” a man told The Star as he explained why the man was being beaten.

The visibly shaken victim suffered a bruise to her neck.

Other residents told The Star that in recent times, gold thieves have put the Old Harbour area and its environs under siege. “Yes, dem all kill di policewoman fi har chain and although some dead, dem still nah tek heed,” a business operator said.

Police from the nearby Old Harbour Police Station were quick on the scene and quickly took the injured man, later identified as Nathaniel Claire, a 29-year-old labourer of Burbey in 19 Miles, Clarendon, from the mob. Claire was later charged with larceny from the person.

He is booked to appear in the Old Harbour Resident Magistrate’s Court later this week.