'Bag switching' thieves are plaguing the commercial district of downtown Kingston, say the Darling Street police.

These female culprits are said to be versed in the cutting of handbags and even go as far as to switch shopping bags, leaving behind one which holds nothing but a big stone decorated with wrapping paper.

"They walk with their bag which has a big stone covered with pretty paper and stand beside someone who also has a bag and switch the bags ... so they leave with goods and the other person is left with a big stone," Special Inspector Joseph Donaldson of the Darling Street police told THE STAR.

Express fear

Most persons with whom THE STAR spoke admitted to knowing of these thieves and even went on to express fear of becoming victims.

"Di tiefin' woman dem a gwaan a way dung ya ... . Nobady cyaa have dem bag an put it dung a dem foot careless ... if yu do dat when yu look, dem gone wid yu goods and lef yu wid a bid ol' stone," one vendor, 38-year-old Maxine Jackson, who plies her trade throughout the streets of downtown, told THE STAR.

"Mi hear bout dem and mi fraid mi naw lie ... look how time hard, yu can imagine mi buy up mi likkle tings dem an when mi look is a big stone mi have ... weh mi can do wid dat?" a woman who gave her name only as Ms Grant replied when asked if she has heard of the bag-switching women.

More prominent

According to the special inspector, thieves have always been finding creative ways of carrying out their criminal acts but have become more and more prominent as Christmas nears.

"It's Christmas time, so they are out in numbers," Special Inspector Donaldson simply said before adding that the police have made a number of arrests and will continue to work in order to bring the suspected thieves to justice.

Donaldson related a recent incident in which the licensed firearm of a policewoman fell through her handbag after it was cut by a thief as she went about her business through the busy streets.

"A woman cut her bag and when the gun fell everybody ran ... afterwards we found out she was a police," Special Inspector Donaldson said.

As such, the police are urging shoppers to be extra careful, when going about their business. "We are urging persons to be very careful especially when going through the wholesales," he said.