Robbers are terrorising the adjoining communities of Havendale and Meadowbrook in St. Andrew, causing residents to be afraid of even entering their own homes.

Since the beginning of the year, 15 cases of robbery have occurred, police reports summarise.

The officers say that money, cars, cellphones, jewellery and electronic equipment are the items on the 'hotlist' of the robbers.

In addition to the robbery cases since January, the cops have reports of shooting and at least one case of rape.

"These men go on their rampages on weekends," Detective Sergeant Michael Greenwood of the Area 5 police said about the robberies.

The sergeant said that only ....recently they were summoned to a section of Havendale after it was reported that a group of men were committing robberies and break-ins.

When THE STAR visited the troubled communities and spoke with residents, they all expressed fear.

"Me live here for 52 years and I have never seen anything like this...It way out of control," one resident said.

A taxi driver and resident of Meadowbrook in his description of the situation pointed out that things were spiralling out of control.

"Bway mi deh bout di place night and day and di man dem a rob people hard...A long time me deh bout and wah day ya a di first mi eva see a man grab a woman bag dem side a world here," he said.

The Meadowbrook resident said that he knew at least one female resident who has been forced to seek some form of 'security' when going home. "Anytime da woman deh a go home she come link one a we taximan fi escort her and mek sure she get inside alrite...She all pay di man dem to."

Greenwood says that the statements the police have received from residents indicate that a group of three to five masked men are responsible for the robberies.

"The men are said to go through the communities by jumping fences and walls while going from home to home," he explained. "These men are said to hide in the yards and await the man or woman to open their grill or door before proceeding to rob them."

In the meantime the police, Greenwood says, will be maintaining their presence in the affected communities in the hope of hindering the robberies.