A recent flood of the cases in which criminals are using imitation weapons to conduct robberies has left cops wondering if this is the latest trend.

Items such as pieces of board and metal are being used to trick unsuspecting persons into thinking attackers are armed and dangerous before robberies are committed.

In the last two weeks, there have been at least three reported cases in St Ann, two in Manchester and one in Clarendon.

In one of the latest incidents, a group of women who were walking in a section of Lionel Town, Clarendon, were robbed by a 'gunman' who reportedly had his weapon concealed in a plastic bag.

approached by a man

According to police reports, about 11:30 p.m. on Friday, the women were on their way to a dance when they were approached by a man who immediately demanded their cellular phones and money.

When his demands were not immediately met the man reportedly pulled his 'weapon' from his pocket.

The man is said to have taken $20,000 from the women and four phones before running off and throwing something into nearby bushes. The police were called and during a search of the area it was discovered that the man actually had a piece of board wrapped in plastic.

About two weeks ago in St Ann, Nigel Bignall of Windsor in Rio Grande, Portland, died two days after he was reportedly attacked and chopped several times at a business place in Discovery Bay.

The police reported that on June 12, Bignall and two other security guards were on duty at the business place when they were held up by men armed with machetes and an object resembling a gun.

The robbers used the fake gun to trick the security guards into thinking they were armed. They eventually made off with four truck tyres and a welding torch.

"trying to play smart"

Investigators say those thieves also hid the 'weapon' in a plastic bag which was found a few metres away from the establishment after the incident. The men are believed to have had a piece of metal.

Inspector Howard Lewis of the Area two division told THE STAR this may just be a case of criminals "trying to play smart".

"All they do is use a fake gun to carry out a robbery, throw it away and make off with the loot," he said. He further reasoned that this is being done because "chances are, they will have to make it back to their homes and to travel with a real weapon poses a bigger risk."

Detective Constable David Fredericks of the Clarendon police also believes the trend is taking place because the criminals think that it is a better way for them to avoid the attention of the police.

"Because they don't have a gun, for some reason or another they think it gives them a better chance of not being caught," he said.