Multi-agency approach to counter carjacking

By Leroy Smith

Crime Chief (ag) Paul Williams says the Guyana Police Force has an aggressive campaign to target carjacking in the country.

He said the instances of carjacking are opportunistic and the evidence available to the police does not suggest or support that there is a carjacking ring or gang in operation. He was at the time responding to a question from the News Room while presenting his Christmas Security Posture for the country as it relates to crime and security in the country.

Williams said that a serious campaign involving several agencies is in the making to target body workshops where they suspect that stolen cars or car parts may be taken for sale. He said that they have found that the type of vehicles being targeted are the ones which are no longer permitted to enter the country due to their age and as such, persons are jacking them and stripping them down to sell their parts.

Of recent, there have been increases in carjacking and subsequent stripping of specific models of vehicles, namely Allion, Premio and 212. Additionally, the Crime Chief called on members of the public to use less cash and more plastic when transacting business. He also assured that there will be some level of adequate anti-crime patrols to deal with reports and suspicious behaviours around the city.

The Crime Chief also called on persons to refrain from purchasing gadgets and other electrical appliances from persons without collecting receipts. He said that this would cause inconvenience to the holders of these items in the event of police raids and investigations since if in the absence of a receipt, the police have the authority to take possession of the item.