Students Involved in Cyber Crimes – Ellington

Commissioner of Police, Owen Ellington, says there is a growing involvement of students in cyber crimes, such as the lotto scam, and is appealing to parents to take greater responsibility for the supervision of their children.

He was addressing a forum on national security staged by the Montego Bay business community on May 15, at the Ritz Carlton Golf and Spa Resort in Montego Bay.

“Parents must take responsibility. We have parents, who are holding criminal assets in the names for their children.  We have parents who have bank accounts, cars, houses and so on, bought for them by their children, who are under 18 years old,” Commissioner Ellington lamented.

He said to the extent that the police are allowed, “we get involved in the schools by offering counselling in efforts to dissuade youngsters from getting involved in any form of criminal activities.  I, however, think that there is a lot more that needs to be done within the schools … and in the homes by family members, who I believe, can make early detection by just observing the things that student bring home such as expensive smart phones, cash, jewellery, and observe their associations and so on. 

“This will not be resolved purely by what the police can do,” he added.

By Glenis Rose, JIS Reporter