A policeman searches for clues near a window forced open by theives who stole items from a variety shop in Fellowship, Portland, on Monday morning. - Gareth Davis

Fellowship, Portland:

Two break-ins, in one night by thugs in the quiet community of Fellowship in the Rio Grande valley, has set residents on edge as to what will next happen in their neck of the woods.

In the first incident, thieves cut through the roofing at the Fellowship Post Office, pried open an overhead burglar bar and entered the facility during heavy rains Sunday night, leading into Monday morning.

"We are shocked by this incident," said Port Antonio mayor and councillor for the Fellowship division, Benny White.

"This will definitely affect those using the postal service in this area as the operators of this facility, acting on the advice of the police, will be closing down operations as a result of the risk. It, therefore, means those pensioners and other persons, who benefit under the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education will have to travel miles into Port Antonio to access those benefits."

Whereas the thieves gained access to the post office, they were not able to get to the valuables, as cheques and other money valued items were safely stored away in a built-in safe.

According to White, approximately 2,000 residents in Fellowship, Toms Hope, Berry Dale, and Stanton, will be affected by the closure of the post office.

Meanwhile, less than 600 metres away, the police were called to investigate another break-in, thought to be by the same set of thieves, who also broke into a community variety shop, stealing tablets, cellular phones, laptops, DVDs and other items. The thieves broke through a side window by removing burglar bars.

The two robberies came on the heel of two other incidents, involving high-ranking political figures who were both affected in March.

A week before the start of the Easter holidays, White was robbed of four laptops, approximately $20,000, an amplifier and a television set at his residence at Bonnie View in the parish.

Days after that incident, a guest house at San San, where Minister of National Security Peter Bunting was reportedly staying for the Easter holidays, was robbed by a man. In the latter incident, items, which were reportedly stolen from the owners of the property were later recovered by the police.