PAULA GORDON, Staff Reporter

Three men are happy to be alive following an attack on them by machete-wielding residents in Claremont, St Ann, on Tuesday.

The incident reportedly happened around 11 a.m. along Broad Street.

Information reaching THE WEEKEND STAR is that the men went in search of antique records but were mistaken for thieves.

Errol Smith, one of the victims, said, "We normally drive all over Jamaica and ask for antique records."

He continued: "We went to buy records and we were cornered by men who wanted to kill us. They said man did come ina the area come bruk house and them don't know we."

Escaped death

THE WEEKEND STAR understands that the men, who narrowly escaped death, were rescued by some elderly residents from the community.

But, according to Smith, he is most infuriated by the fact that the police did not turn up to assist him and his colleagues after several calls were allegedly made to them.

"We call Control, who put us on to Claremont, and up till now, not one police don't come. We were told that the station had only one vehicle. All mi tell the offica seh people a go kill we, not one police don't come," he recalled.

When asked if the matter had been reported to the police, he said no.

"I wouldn't go to a station like that to make a report because if I am 10 chains away from your station and you couldn't render me any assistance, it don't mek any sense reporting anything to you," Smith said.

The Claremont police yesterday confirmed that the men were attacked by residents who believed they were looking for a house to break.

However, the police dismissed the allegation that they did not turn up to assist the men who could have died.

On assignment

An on-duty policeman told THE WEEKEND STAR: "The police were there. They were on another assignment and when they got the call, they rushed over to the location. That's the only way they could have been released because the residents surrounded them. It was the police who escorted them out of the area."

Despite the cops' claims, the victims say they are maintaining their stance.

"That is a lie. We have not seen the police. I have been calling the commissioners office as I am not satisfied as a citizen of this country. I got no assistance from the police," Smith said.