Residents of Stanleytown and neighbouring communities are to form a vigilante group to help apprehend wanted man Neil Bovell, who continues to drive fear into the hearts of villagers.

Speaking to this newspaper yesterday a resident said a few young men in the village and neighbouring Nismes have been meeting to establish an undercover vigilante group to apprehend Bovell. The resident said that the entire community was behind the initiative and as such they anticipated early success.

According to the man, residents were adamant that Bovell was still lurking in the village, adding that last week Tuesday night he was spotted by a female resident.

The man said that they had to take such action since the police were not doing what was expected of them and have virtually given up the search for Bovell.

The resident insisted that the group would be working undercover and it would not be too large, noting that most of the men approached had refused to join citing security fears.

The man pointed out that they were only taking this initiative because the lives of the young women in the village were at stake. He said some of the young women had migrated from the village because of Bovell's presence and some were dwelling in the village during the day but leaving at night.

The fugitive from the law came very close to being caught early last month but managed to escape from a party of policemen who accidentally killed pensioner, Eustace Small in the process.

Contacted yesterday the police said they were still searching for Bovell and had already issued a warrant for his arrest. Bovell is being hunted for the murder of his reputed wife Phillipa Harrison, Vernon Bernard, whose house he also torched, and the abduction of Bernard's daughter Velda Bernard.