Danzil Clarke the ex convict who robbed several people at a secluded villa in Emerald Forest on March 30 was unaware that Minister of National Security Peter Bunting and his security team were at the house.The 45-year-old Clarke, who was convicted twice – once in 1999 for aggravated robbery, and again in 2003 for illegal possession of a firearm quietly slipped into the group's villa and, on entering a bedroom, was greeted by the sight of a silver chain, a gold chain, an iPhone, a Nokia cellular phone, J$206,000 in cash and an undetermined amount of US and Vietnamese currencies.
While he was busy gathering the valuables, members of the group walked into the villa, but he managed to hide and they subsequently left the building without noticing him.
On his way home with the loot, Clarke got a call on one of the stolen cell phones from a caller, who claimed ownership for the stolen items, offerring him US$3,000 to return the items.
Clarke agreed to the deal, thinking that his victims were visitors to the island. An agreement was reach between Clarke and the caller to make the exchange at Folly Oval, on the outskirts of Port Antonio, approximately 10:30 p.m.
While on his way to the meeting, Clarke received another call from the woman informing him that she only had US$1,800, pleaded with him to accept that sum for the return of the items. Clarke agreed.
The exchange of money for the items took place as planned. Clarke returned all the stolen items, but was told he could keep the Nokia phone. No attempt was made to arrest him.
On the day following the exchange, Clarke was at home relaxing when a police party, including personnel from the Cybercrime Unit, who had seemingly tracked him down through the Nokia phone, barged in on him. He was promptly arrested.
While Clarke was being processed at the Port Antonio CIB office, the evening news was being aired on a television set in the room. He heard the story about the minister of national security being robbed at the Portland villa. It was then that he realised who his victims actually were.
It could not be ascertained if Bunting was party to or was aware of the transaction between Clarke and the female who made the deal with him.
Clarke was arrested and charged with burglary, inclusive of the items he had returned in the trade-off with the female caller. He was offered the service of a legal-aid lawyer to represent him.
Following the intervention of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the charge against Clarke was changed from burglary to the lesser charge of housebreaking and larceny.
Clarke has since pleaded guilty to the new charges against him to return to court on May 3 for sentencing.
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