St James’ most wanted man who has been featured on the police’s ‘Wanted Wednesday’ campaign, Jermaine O'Brien McKenzie, alias ‘Geo’, surrendered peacefully when he was cornered by law enforcers in Coral Gardens in the parish on Sunday morning.
According to police reports, on Sunday at approximately 9am, the St. James police conducted an operation at the popular Harbour Beach complex in Coral Gardens.
Upon entering the beach complex, they proceeded to the rear of the premises, where they saw a man with a knapsack in hand. The man reportedly looked in the direction of the police then ran.
The police gave chase to a board structure where the man ran.
According to the reports, upon searching, the cops found the man hiding in the board structure and holding the knapsack.
The bag was taken from his hand, opened and searched in his presence.
Head of the St James Police Division, Superintendent Eron Samuels, said the search revealed a black pistol with a magazine affixed, with no ammunition in the magazine.
Samuels said it was soon realised that the man was the parish’s most wanted figure, an unemployed of a Flanker address in the parish.
“Jermaine Mackenzie is featured in several murders and shootings across the parish. At the time of his capture, he was listed as the most wanted, and featured prominently on the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s (JCF) Wanted Wednesday. During this operation no shot was fired, nobody was hurt. He gave himself up to the police without a fight,” said Samuels.
The parish commander used the opportunity to ask all persons who are wanted to surrender to the police.
“We prefer to take you in peacefully without a shot being fired or anybody being injured,” he said.
The divisional head said the capture of McKenzie is a real success for the division. He described McKenzie as having been a “thorn in the flesh” of the Flanker and Salt Spring communities for quite some time, having reportedly featured in several gang shootings and murders.
“We are happy and we want to congratulate the police officers who acted professionally in the capture of Jermaine McKenzie. We are appealing to residents of St James to not harbour wanted persons in their premises, and to provide information to assist the police in capturing wanted persons and persons of interest who continue to wreak havoc among the citizens of this parish,” said Samuels.
