Soldiers on patrol head down the Palisadoes main road which has been blocked with sand and silt swept on to the road by the sea. - Norman Grindley/Deputy Chief Photographer

THE RISE in crime that usually accompanies a natural disaster did not materialise during the passage of Hurricane Dean, according to the police.

Sergeant Jubert Llewelyn of the Constabulary Communication Network and Assistant Commissioner of Police, Leon Rose, said there were no major incidents to report.

"There were some shootings in Mountain View and Central Kingston last night (Sunday), but for the most part, the police had things under control," said Sergeant Llewelyn.

He said no one was injured in the shootings, nor were any arrests made.

ACP Rose, who was a member of the police's emergency centre at the Police Commissioner's office, said looting took place "on a small scale".

Police patrols

He said police patrols throughout Kingston and St. Andrew might have prevented widescale robbery. He told The Gleaner that most of the police parties were downtown Kingston, Half-Way Tree, and the Manor Park and Sovereign Centre malls in St. Andrew.

ACP Rose said reports of looting in the commercial district of May Pen, Clarendon, are unsubstantiated. He confirmed that two persons were arrested for looting in Mandeville.

As Hurricane Dean sped toward Jamaica on Saturday afternoon, the Jamaica Constabulary Force announced a curfew for commercial and industrial areas.

The curfew was lifted at 6:00 p.m. yesterday.