Tweet
No evidence of forced entry; Smith 'suspicious'
BY KARYL WALKER Sunday Observer staff reporter walkerk@jamaicaobserver.com
Sunday, September 16, 2007
The Organised Crime Investigative Division is now probing the recent mysterious theft of two desktop computers from the Ministry of National Security, taken from the fortified seventh floor, where former minister Peter Phillips had his office.
"I can confirm that a computer was stolen from a seventh floor office sometime between (week before last) Friday night and (last) Monday morning," Deputy Commissioner in charge of crime, Mark Shields told the Sunday Observer.
Freshly sworn in minister of national security, Derrick Smith (right), on a familiarity tour of the Ministry of National Security last Friday. Beside Smith is permanent secretary in the ministry, Gilbert Scott.
"An employee left the office and returned to work Monday morning and found that the computer was stolen," Shields added.
Shields said that there was no evidence of forced entry. The only entrance leading to the particular area of the seventh floor is manned round the clock by two Jamaica Defence Force soldiers and is equipped with a metal detector.
Meanwhile, freshly sworn in Minister of National Security Derrick Smith told the Sunday Observer that a second computer was also stolen from an office on the fourth floor.
The minister said the reported theft had left him feeling "suspicious".
"I am very suspicious and very concerned that it happened during this time of transition," Smith said, adding that he discovered that the computers were missing when he went to the ministry after he and 16 other Cabinet colleagues took their oaths of office at King's House last Friday.
Smith said the computer that was stolen from the seventh floor was being used by a political appointee who recently resigned from the ministry.
"It was assigned to, and being used by, a political appointee," Smith said.
But according to the new security minister, "the major concern is that during the week, an office on the fourth floor was broken into and another computer stolen".
Shields told the Sunday Observer that while there have been no arrests, a number of persons had been interviewed.
The security minister said he expected the police to close in on the persons responsible for stealing the computers.
"We are expecting them to be able to apprehend someone. Security checks suggest that (during that) period only four persons, two soldiers and two cleaners, had access to the building," Smith said.
Smith said he has ordered permanent secretary Gilbert Scott, to conduct an immediate security check.
"I have instructed the permanent secretary to arrange a security audit done to ensure that we don't have any incident of the sort again," Smith told the Sunday Observer.
The theft of the computers come on the heels of reports that documents were being shredded at various government ministries, raising suspicions that attempts were being made to hide corrupt practices by persons in the previous administration.
The People's National Party (PNP), which had been in government for 18 years, was beaten by the Jamaica Labour Party in the September 3 general elections.
BY KARYL WALKER Sunday Observer staff reporter walkerk@jamaicaobserver.com
Sunday, September 16, 2007
The Organised Crime Investigative Division is now probing the recent mysterious theft of two desktop computers from the Ministry of National Security, taken from the fortified seventh floor, where former minister Peter Phillips had his office.
"I can confirm that a computer was stolen from a seventh floor office sometime between (week before last) Friday night and (last) Monday morning," Deputy Commissioner in charge of crime, Mark Shields told the Sunday Observer.
Freshly sworn in minister of national security, Derrick Smith (right), on a familiarity tour of the Ministry of National Security last Friday. Beside Smith is permanent secretary in the ministry, Gilbert Scott.
"An employee left the office and returned to work Monday morning and found that the computer was stolen," Shields added.
Shields said that there was no evidence of forced entry. The only entrance leading to the particular area of the seventh floor is manned round the clock by two Jamaica Defence Force soldiers and is equipped with a metal detector.
Meanwhile, freshly sworn in Minister of National Security Derrick Smith told the Sunday Observer that a second computer was also stolen from an office on the fourth floor.
The minister said the reported theft had left him feeling "suspicious".
"I am very suspicious and very concerned that it happened during this time of transition," Smith said, adding that he discovered that the computers were missing when he went to the ministry after he and 16 other Cabinet colleagues took their oaths of office at King's House last Friday.
Smith said the computer that was stolen from the seventh floor was being used by a political appointee who recently resigned from the ministry.
"It was assigned to, and being used by, a political appointee," Smith said.
But according to the new security minister, "the major concern is that during the week, an office on the fourth floor was broken into and another computer stolen".
Shields told the Sunday Observer that while there have been no arrests, a number of persons had been interviewed.
The security minister said he expected the police to close in on the persons responsible for stealing the computers.
"We are expecting them to be able to apprehend someone. Security checks suggest that (during that) period only four persons, two soldiers and two cleaners, had access to the building," Smith said.
Smith said he has ordered permanent secretary Gilbert Scott, to conduct an immediate security check.
"I have instructed the permanent secretary to arrange a security audit done to ensure that we don't have any incident of the sort again," Smith told the Sunday Observer.
The theft of the computers come on the heels of reports that documents were being shredded at various government ministries, raising suspicions that attempts were being made to hide corrupt practices by persons in the previous administration.
The People's National Party (PNP), which had been in government for 18 years, was beaten by the Jamaica Labour Party in the September 3 general elections.
Comment