The police say that they have increased their presence in sections of Grants Pen and Ambrook Lane after receiving word that attempts were being made to find a replacement for a recently slain strongman.

Richard Hylton, otherwise called 'Ritchie' and 'Hunk-A-Gold', was killed in a shoot-out with the police along Dumbarton Avenue last week. He was said to have been under police radar.

Hylton was killed after a police party signalled a vehicle in which he and other persons were travelling to stop. Reports are that after they disobeyed, shots were exchanged and Hylton was later found dead.

Another occupant of the car was injured along with a policeman during the exchange of gunfire, while a third occupant managed to escape but was later captured. The injured officer is in hospital and the injured occupant was treated and is now in police custody.

Since then, police sources say individuals have been seeking to find Richard's replacement as one of the frontmen for the Bottom Gully gang. In terms of the two individuals in custody, they say they are unable to say as yet if they are members of the gang, but it is being claimed that one of the men is a cousin of Hylton.

Yesterday, THE STAR made checks in the communities asso- ciated with Hylton. While unable to name other strongmen to take Hylton's place, one man gave an interesting account of Hylton's tactics stating, "Dem man deh (Hylton) known fi have two guns in his possession at all times, and he was feared by many because dem considered him a Topman."

The Bottom Gully gang is notorious for armed robberies, shootings and murders committed in and around the Corporate Area. THE STAR understands that Hylton had been under the radar of the Half-Way Tree police for sometime, especially for his involvement in the multimillion-dollar robbery at the Dunrobin Plaza in March 2011.

He and his gang were also implicated in a number of motor vehicle thefts and armed robberies.