ST THOMAS, Jamaica – Five men, one of whom is wanted for murder in Portland, have been detained by police following the theft of two motorbikes in Golden Grove, St Thomas.

The men were held after their getaway car ran out of petrol, and a policeman recognised one of them.

The motorcycles, which belonged to two farmers, were reportedly stolen between 10 pm on Tuesday and 6 am Wednesday, the police said.

Reports reaching OBSERVER ONLINE are that both farmers parked their motorbikes at home and retired to bed. The following morning the bikes were missing.

Police said about 7:30 Wednesday morning, a policeman was travelling in his private motor vehicle to work, when on reaching the Pomfret main road, he saw two men, one of whom he knew, walking with a white plastic bottle of gas.

The policeman accosted both men, took them into his custody, and handed them to a passing patrol unit.

The two men took the members of the patrol unit further on the Pomfret main road to a parked white Toyota Probox motor car with three other men aboard. The two stolen motorbikes were found in the car.

All five men were taken to the Yallahs Police Station and placed into custody. The two farmers later attended the police station and identified their bikes in the presence of the suspects.

The men’s identities were not released because they have not yet been charged.