COPS HUNTING FACELESS CRIMINALS

Dwayne Mcleod, Staff Reporter

The search for some of Jamaica's criminals is almost next to impossible for the police, because quite a large number of our wrongdoers have no form of identifictaion.

Earlier this month, the cops released the names of 11 men who they classified as the country's 'most wanted'. Of the 11, the police were only able to provide photographs of three.

Head of the Major Investigations Task Force, Assistant Commissioner of Police Les Green, admits it is an issue that needs to be dealt with. "This is a major problem and we are working on that; in the future we hope to release more photographs to the public," ACP Green said about the lack of pictures to support the most-wanted list.

Recent investigations by THE STAR showed that this lack of photographs is a calculated plan by several thugs.

Several men pointed out that having these forms of identification only help the police to nab them.

"... mi naw go fi dem ting deh til mi a fly out. When yu have dem ting deh it come in like a help you a help police do dem work," Blacks, a 24-year-old, well-known thug from east Kingston explained.

National identification cards, birth certificates, passports and driver's licences are on the 'not-to-get' list.

Tino, another thug, from St Elizabeth, told THE STAR that the decision not to possess certain documents is definitely advantageous.

"Unnu might look pon it and seh mi nuh exist because mi nuh have nuh birth certificate, but all di betta, how police fi lock up a man weh it come in like nuh exist? ... Until the time come fi lef ya so, mi naw go fi nuh ID weh a go help police ketch mi," he said.

most-wanted list

These criminals say that their daily activities do not warrant the use of any form of identification.

"Mi nuh work no weh, furthermore mi cyaa get nuh work no weh, nuttin weh mi do nuh need mi fi show nuh ID ... All me do is hustle every day eno," said Stickofrom Spanish Town. "Even if mi get real hot, and even end up pon all di most-wanted list, if dem manage fi get mi real name, dem nuffi have nuh photo a me."

To make matters worse, some of those who do have some form of identification have resort ed to changing their physical features. Or, they have significantly changed since the last photo that the police have of them.

The most prominent case was that of former Clansman honcho Donovan 'Bulbie' Bennett. At the height of his reign on top of the police most-wanted list, the picture of him was totally different from that when he was shot dead by the security forces in 2005. The difference in photos caused many to speculate that the Spanish Town strong man was still alive.

Another instance was the case of Rohan Gordon, alias 'Don'. The police reported that the reputed Stone Crusher Gang leader, who was killed after he and other gang members engaged police in a fierce gun battle in Norwood, Montego Bay, on May 20 last year, was noticeably of a very light skin tone. This, the police say, was contrary to any photograph they had of him.

Superintendent Steve McGregor, head of St James police, confirmed this, saying 'Don' was indeed trying to elude the police. "Yes, that is so, he was a black man but when we caught him he was very brown," he said.

ACP Green said the police were aware of the unwillingness of these individuals to get any form of identification.

According to the MIT head, the situation was being examined. "We know of the situation and it's a serious problem, and not just in Jamaica ... There are discussions for identification cards to be compulsory, as in other countries, by legislation."