Police Department is Aware of Arson Threats

Chester Williams

With a recent spike in violent crimes, including murders, there have been threats of arson, as well as failed attempts to torch the properties of families believed to be involved in those incidents.  Earlier this week the residence of Lisa Lauriano was gutted by fire deliberately set by someone in the wake of the stabbing death of her ex-common-law husband.  In the wake of another murder in the area of Antelope Street Extension, threats, as well as attempts have been made to destroy a number of properties by fire.  Commissioner of Police Chester Williams says the department is aware of those threats.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“The problem is more prevalent in the Antelope Street Extension area, particularly since this weekend, it has escalated, as well as in the Mayflower Street area and the Kraal Road/Caesar Ridge area where you know that there is that intense feud between Supaul Street and SSG.  But yes, we have received intelligence that a certain group in the Antelope Street Extension area has been threatening to burn down houses.  There are certain people living in the area that other gang groups are saying, “We don’t want them here.”  So who are they to dictate who must live where.  So that’s the extent to which this has gone, and while yes, we have increased our presence in the area to do patrols, we cannot mind every home.  And so, what these elements are doing is that they monitor the movements of the police and when the police go one way then they do what needs to be done.  There has been mediation done by the mediation team and in the mediation, from what I am told is that the other group was adamant that the feud is not going to stop unless the other group moves from back there.  Now, the other group is saying, “I’m not going to move.”