Vision on Mission founder Wayne Chance is calling for adequate security at the Beetham Landfill after he was robbed there on Sunday morning.
Chance was robbed of his gold chain by a man after he went to the site with several former prisoners to dump garbage. However, several scavengers who were there, saw the incident and realised it was Chance, later managed to apprehend the suspect and retrieve the chain.
In an interview yesterday, Chance said when he entered the landfill’s gate there were police and security guard present. However, he and his group were soon approached by a group of men armed with various objects as they prepared to offload garbage.
“Some of the men were young and the oldest must be 21 start asking my men who they were and where they from so they could rob them. By the time I say that, a man come with a cutlass, one with a chooker and some had pieces of iron and one of them hold the cutlass to my neck,” he said.
Chance said one of the men then grabbed a small gold his chain from neck and “walked away casually.”
“My men became frantic and was going and get back my stuff and I told them to desist. The men from the dump recognise me and hold the man,” he said.
He said the suspect was later apologetic and said he made a living going to the landfill daily and making a hustle.
“Anybody is exposed to this situation and they robbing people. I was fortunate that they know me. Other people say it was a frequent situation and just drop their rubbish on the side there,” he said, adding that when he went back to the front gate there were neither police nor security there.
Saying he was disturbed by the incident, Chance said the Solid Waste Management Company Limited (SWMCOL) should be more responsible with security for the site.
“People just coming across the road who have no business other than robbing people there,” he said.
He said although the man held a cutlass to his neck the robbery was “petty,” but admitted it had a psychological effect on him.
“Whole night I reflecting on it. They could shoot you and they could rob you while you throwing out rubbish. It was not even money, but rubbish,” he said.
Contacted yesterday, SWMCOL CEO Ronald Roach said the matter was reported to them and the stolen item (chain) was recovered.
“We have met with Mr Chance who is assisting us in the investigations. SWMCOL employs both private security services as well as the police services to ensure the safety and well being of users of its sites. However, isolated incidents such as this one sometimes still do occur,” Roach said.
He said site users are reminded to exercise caution and to immediately report to the security services on site any incident or suspicious activity.
SWMCOL security advisor Nigel Sampson said security at the site had improved and promised such incidents would not occur again.
Also contacted yesterday, Industrial General and Sanitation Workers Union (IGSWU) president Robert Benacia expressed his concern and said it was an unfortunate event.