JPS said while it was disheartened that one of its contractors was implicated, the company remained committed to tackling the illegal abstraction of electricity, whether by those inside or outside the company.

On March 5, an additional four persons were charged in St Mary and taken before the courts. Only one of the four pleaded guilty and was fined $20,000 or three months in prison. Trial date is set for Tuesday, April 28, for the others.

JPS, with the help of the Annotto Bay police, has been targeting the illegal use of electricity in the parish of St Mary. The operation, which began March 5, combines the efforts of JPS crew and the police to crack down on the use of 'throw-ups' to steal electricity from the power company.

This operation is part of an ongoing drive against illegal connections islandwide. This thrust involves the deployment of specially trained contractors, as well as collaboration with the local police departments.