DARLISTON, Westmoreland (Tuesday, June 24) — In a swift, calculated strike that shattered the early-morning calm, armed men abducted veteran auto dealer Gavin Myers shortly after 6:00 a.m., leaving this rural township stunned and searching for answers.
What Happened
- Time & Place: Roughly 6:30 a.m. outside Myers’ car mart on the Darliston main road
- Sequence: While an employee unlocked the gate, Myers lingered beside his Audi. A waiting vehicle pulled up, three gunmen bundled him inside, and a warning shot pierced the dawn before they sped away.
- Aftermath: Detectives recovered a spent shell and launched a parish-wide dragnet. No sightings have been confirmed.
Community in Turmoil
Residents who normally trade morning greetings now swap theories in hushed tones. Most refused to share names, citing fear of reprisal.
“It’s like the ground just shifted,” said one shopkeeper, knuckles white around her tea mug. “We’ve never seen anything this bold.”
Myers, 42, is widely respected for sponsoring local sports days and offering discounted repairs to senior citizens.
“He’s the type who’d shut the yard early so a school team could borrow a bus,” recalled a long-time customer. “Nobody expected this.”
Law-Enforcement Response
The Westmoreland Police Division, bolstered by Major Investigations personnel, established checkpoints along key exit routes and reviewed CCTV footage from Darliston to Savanna-la-Mar. Officers have urged the public to report any suspicious activity to Crime Stop (311) or the nearest station.
A senior investigator, speaking off record, called the operation “highly choreographed,” noting the abductors’ “tight timeline and clean getaway.”
Bigger Picture
Kidnappings remained relatively rare in Westmoreland last year, but Tuesday’s incident underscores a worrying shift toward more sophisticated, targeted crimes in Jamaica’s rural corridors.
For now, Darliston waits—businesses half-shuttered, conversations cautious—hoping Gavin Myers is found alive and that the tranquillity of their hillside community can somehow be restored.
