The police are searching for eight inmates who escaped the Black River Police lockup, sometime between last night and this morning.

Preliminary reports indicate that the men escaped through a window they cut.

The escaped men are Oral Cole, Richard Brown, Alrick Hutchinson, Dewar Williams, Kenneth Stewart, Anward Hines, Dean Simpson and Javaughn Simms.

The men have been charged with offences including robbery, illegal possession of a firearm, shooting with intent, murder and rape.