Nothing has ever been able to keep Jamaicans out of a KFC establishment – not the insanely long lines, nonstop raising of the prices, nothing. Well, history was made recently as a Beryllium truck rolled into a KFC drive through and immediately cleared the place out.

As of recently, this has been a consistent trend where persons try to stay as far as possible all of Beryllium’s dispatch trucks. 

The past few weeks have seen the security company, which transports large sums of cash for many of the island’s financial institutions, targeted on multiple occassions by criminals, leading to bloody shootouts and injuries.

Just a few weeks ago, gunmen attacked a Beryllium security team at Portmore Pines Plaza in St Catherine and escaped with more than $10 million in cash after fatally shooting one guard and leaving another nursing injuries.

When people hear of a pattern of unpredictable crimes such as this, they become more cautious and vigilant, which can lead to changes in their behaviour and daily routines. People feel vulnerable and unsafe as this can happen anywhere and at any time, so they begin to avoid certain areas or activities that they previously enjoyed. They may feel as though they are constantly looking over their shoulders or worrying about the safety of themselves and their loved ones.

Beryllium provides an essential service for financial and other institutions in Jamaica. With that said, companies and consumers have already been feeling the effects of the fallout from the attacks on its teams. There is a growing air of distrust and uneasiness inside local establishments, a departure from the comfort once felt that security at these businesses was airtight.

The police, in the meantime, say they are working diligently to bring the criminals in the Beryllium attacks to justice. 

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Stephanie Lindsay, head of the Constabulary’s Corporate Communications Unit, has spoken out about promising observations in the case that may assist the investigation.

SSP Dwight Powell, of the St Ann police, has also issued a stern warning to anyone who may be looking at what has been taking place and feeling tempted to get rich quick themselves by robbing trucks and ATMs.

“Those who may feel that we may need to follow a copycats situation, it will not be accepted in this parish, in St Ann, and so as long as we are here leading the charge, we are saying to our security departments we are here for you, we are here to support you, and we appreciate the work that you continue to provide within this nation,” he said.

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