Manchester police assign cold-case team to Jaden Smith probe as Portmore ATM theft and Trelawny crime figures draw scrutiny

Police in Manchester say additional resources will support the ongoing inquiry into the disappearance of Manchester High School student Jaden Smith, with cold-case investigators assigned to bring new scrutiny to the file.

Deputy Superintendent Odin Dennis, who recently took charge of the Manchester division, gave the assurance on Monday while answering a journalist’s question about the case. Relatives and other concerned citizens had recently held a public demonstration calling for greater attention to the matter. Smith, who was 12 at the time, was last seen at a fast-food outlet after leaving for school on Friday, 25 September 2025. The Jamaica Constabulary Force has deployed drones, cadaver dogs and specialist personnel in the search, but those efforts have not located him.

"It has come to my attention and it is of particular importance to me because it involved a child or future," Dennis said. "We will ensure that we have a set of cold-case investigators sit down and have a set of fresh eyes look at that matter with the intention of having it cleared as soon as possible."

In St. Catherine, detectives from the St. Catherine South Police Division are investigating a break-in and robbery at automated teller machines at a Scotia Bank branch in Portmore. Police said that between 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, 27 June and 8:43 a.m. on Sunday, 28 June, offenders gained access to the machines, removed cash and fled. Security staff found the facility door partly open during routine checks and reported the incident to bank management and police.

Investigators reviewed surveillance footage that reportedly showed several people dressed in black arriving in a Nissan Latio sedan and entering the area security personnel use to reach the ATMs. The group is alleged to have used access codes to open four ATM safes before taking a large sum of cash. Police said there were no signs of forced entry and that only authorised security staff normally have access to the area. The exact amount stolen is not yet known, though it is believed to be substantial; each machine can hold up to $20 million. The Portmore Criminal Investigation Branch is leading the inquiry.

Trelawny has recorded a slight drop in murders so far this year even as other serious offences trend upward, according to Superintendent Campbell, the division’s commanding officer. Murders stand at four compared with six in the same period last year, with two of the four linked to interpersonal disputes. Shootings rose to seven from four, though three of the seven incidents involved gunfire directed at police during pursuits. Robberies increased to six from five, rapes to 11 from 10, and aggravated assaults to 17 from 11. Larceny fell to one case from four.

"We are currently at four compared to six for the previous year," Campbell said. "This time it is reflecting I would say a marginal reduction as two less figures is relatively small comparing to the other parishes. But it is for murders too much. And when we look at the classification of these murders, we see where two of the four are directly linked to interpersonal conflicts. And after the commission of these crimes, you would hear that these persons were having dispute for some time and basically there has been no meaningful intervention."

The parliamentary opposition has condemned the demolition of houses in Albion, St. Thomas. Opposition spokesperson on land Luther Cousins called the action inhumane and at odds with government pledges to improve housing conditions. In a statement on Monday, he said it raised serious questions about the state’s commitment to helping vulnerable Jamaicans secure safe, stable homes.

"We are now at the beginning of another hurricane season. Whilst we respect property rights, it is important that a compassionate government not solve one problem by creating another problem," Cousins said. "I am therefore using this opportunity to call on the government to immediately halt any proposed demolition or any continuing demolition until a fair, transparent, and humane process is established that is consistent with our international human rights obligations. Jamaica deserves real housing solutions, not greater hardship."

He questioned whether the government is genuinely committed to addressing housing challenges and urged authorities to explain the circumstances of the demolitions and outline immediate assistance for displaced families.