Though it is said the third time's a charm, a US visitor to the island is contesting that saying after he was mobbed, beaten and robbed in Ocho Rios, St Ann, last week by four persons.
THE STAR understands that about 8 p.m., 30-year-old Sean Mascarenhas from Oregon, USA, was attacked while walking through the resort town on his way to Margaritaville.
According to the victim, who is a real estate developer, it was his first time being robbed, let alone in Jamaica and while on vacation.
Mascarenhas told our news team that had he known the danger ahead he would have taken a taxi. He said: "I felt safe because I was in Ocho Rios, and near to hotels. While walking through a well lit area, I noticed that there were four young men to the left of me. Before I knew it, one of them aggressively pushed me, and I was on the ground ... I was startled, didn't even know what was happening to me, my right elbow was bloody. I was on the ground, and another came at me with a large bamboo or sugar cane and struck me on my right shoulder ... that's when I knew I was being mobbed. I was completely afraid for my life, I thought I was going to die. I thought they were going to get a knife and cut me up!"
begging for his life
Mascarenhas said he told the men to take what they wanted while begging for his life.
"They took my Apple Mac laptop and the bag that it was in, they took my Samsung Galaxy S4 phone, they took my wallet with all the cards that were in it ... all my possessions were taken except the keys to my guest house," he said.
THE STAR gathered that the incident occurred in less than 60 seconds in an area with no passers-by. According to the victim, the robbers ran in four different directions.
The Ocho Rios police confirmed the incident and said investigations are ongoing.
Though he would like his belongings returned, he had some advice for the fellow tourists and the Jamaican government.
"I would inform people that these things can happen, and that we need to be cautious in how you go about; had I known, I would have immediately put my self in a taxi,"Mascarenhas said. "I also do feel very strongly that the Jamaican government needs to create more sporting opportunities for their youth, baseball and basketball, anything that can create team-sports environment, I think the youths don't have that, then they resort to these types of activities, whether they want to be gangsters or they want to prove themselves. To be able to invest in their youth is what the Government can surely do ... I believe Jamaicans have good relations with us Americans, a lot of Jamaicans do live in the US."
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