The Portland Police's Street Crimes Unit is now without a vehicle after thugs set fire to their 2007 Toyota Hilux pick-up truck at Wayne Road in the parish on Monday night.

The incident took place about 11:45 p.m. after the police responded to a call about a dispute involving a teenage girl in that community.

"The vehicle was parked near the entrance to a lane in that community," said Detective Corporal Winston Bell, who oversees the operations of the street crimes unit. "Ten to 15 minutes after exiting the vehicle, they realised that smoke was coming from the direction where they parked the vehicle and upon their return, the vehicle was seen engulfed in flames."

One fire unit from the Port Antonio Fire Department, which arrived quickly on the scene, managed to put out the blaze, but not before the entire vehicle was destroyed.

The five-member street crimes unit, which was formed in April, has been responsible for the recovery of a firearm and five rounds of ammunition, along with the arrest of approximately 800 persons for various crimes ranging from robbery, wounding, and possession of ganja, to possession of offensive weapons.

The detective explained that since the launch of the street crimes unit there has been a downward trend in major crimes in the parish including murder, as a result of the clampdown on offensive weapons.

"The unit was proving to be very effective in all areas of crime," added Bell. "Several persons wanted for various offences including murder have been arrested, along with others found in breach of the Copyright Act and illegal vending. We have seen a reduction of 17 in major crimes committed in comparison to the corresponding period last year. Yes, it was a genuine call made to the station, but to set fire to a police unit is unheard of in Portland."