Residents of Sheffield, Westmoreland, are being forced by thugs to pay a fee to walk on the streets in the community at nights.

The thugs have instituted a 10 p.m. curfew on the residents. If they are seen after the cut-off time, then they are forced to pay.

Checks by THE STAR revealed that the police have received information related to the situation.

however, they say no formal report has been made.

"Sources have brought it to our attention, as well as persons who are directly affected but nobody has come forward to make a formal report," Detective Corporal Errol Jackson of the Area One police said.

One police source at the Negril station said that the criminals have been charging residents at least $100 to walk on the streets.

VARIOUS FACTORS

There are various factors that decide the fee. Once the thugs see a resident, he/she is automatically charged $100, but if the person is leaving the community to return at a later time, then the fee is increased.

"Yuh can believe dat, di so called 'bad man' dem a charge people fi walk pon public road. Dem a charge a bills and if is a situation where yu ago come een inna di wee hours den dem ago charge you more ... Depending pon how dem feel dem coulda charge all five bills,"Ms. Desrine, a resident of the community said.

The residents say that the thugs involved in the racket claim that they are demanding the fees as payment for 'protecting' the community.

"Di man dem a charge wi because dem a 'lock di road' and wi headback a night, so is like dem a run a security company roun ya ... A foolishness dem a gwaan wid," said Maxwho has paid at least $1,500 to the thugs.

He claims that he had no choice but to pay because "di man dem weh a demand di money always have something a bulge through dem shirt eno, and dem naw stop til yu gi dem di money".

The curfew is not instituted nightly but is apparently dependent on the thugs' needs.

Detective Corporal Jackson in the meantime said the residents have expressed an unwillingness to make reports, citing fear as the reason.

He said, however, that they are planning to attack the situation in an effort to arrest the thugs.

Names changed on request