The police believe bearers on motorcycles are at the centre of a number of recent incidents in which people were robbed shortly after leaving banks.

While speaking with head of the Kingston-based Flying Squad last week Superintendent Cornwall 'Bigga' Ford made the revelation and maintained that some of the bikers were close associates of the thieves.

"... Dem link wid di criminal dem and mek dem a rob people when dem a come out a di bank," he said.

His comments came after being asked if he was aware of bearers and their motorcycles being targeted.

Checks with sources from the Area Four police also found similar claims and at least three recent incidents where bearers are believed to have facilitated the robbing of bank customers by working alongside thieves in locating the targets.

Set up

"From the checks I have made within the division there are a number of incidents in which it is theorised that the robberies were somewhat set up by bearers ... They give the description of the targets to the thieves who simply just wait on the right time to carry out the robbery," one source said.

In one of the most recent incidents, the alleged robber was caught and later admitted to investigators that he was aided in his robbery effort by a bearer who is now being sought by the police.

The incident reportedly occurred on June 15, in Cross Roads, St Andrew, sometime around midday.

The victim, a female ,was relieved of $15,000 which she had just withdrawn from a bank.

Efforts to get an update on that incident were unsuccessful as the investigating officer could not be reached for comment yesterday.

The Area Four police said, however, that there were other such cases and promised to provide updates as soon as all the necessary information is summarised.