Belize City Men Arrested for Brazen Robbery
There was a daring robbery in Belize City’s Belama Phase Three on Thursday evening. The broad daylight robbery happened at about four, and the target was Guan Fa Shop, a Chinese grocery store in the area. The cashier in the store, a nineteen year old student, told Police that three male persons walked straight up and demanded cash. While one of the robbers pointing a chrome revolver at him, another went behind the counter and took all the cash from the cash register; they then made off with the cash in a green Geo Prism car. But the police were soon informed and there was a very swift response by a little known Police Unit called the Eastern Division Strike Team. The men were intercepted by police just minutes after the robbery on Coney Drive and inside the vehicle were three men, a chrome point thirty-eight revolver with five live rounds of ammo and the stolen money totalling seven hundred and forty-one dollars and eighty-three cents in cash.
Douglas Hyde, Public Relations Coordinator, Eastern Division
Douglas Hyde
“Three male persons went to them and demanded cash. One of the male persons basically presented a chrome handgun and the other went behind the cashier and took over seven hundred dollars cash. Quick response by the Police apprehended a green geo Prism car and while searching the car they also found the money in a bag and also the chrome handgun. These person who were in the vehicle is one James Swazo, thirty-nine year old construction worker of Gill Street, also one Burton Claire, twenty-years old and Kyle Carter, eighteen years old. These persons are detained right now and are awaiting charges.”
Reporter
“What would be the process now? An identification parade?”
Douglas Hyde
“The process usually when these persons are detained is that definitely the identification parade will take place as part of the investigation and basically put together a file and charge the persons and proceed to the court.”
Reporter
“It’s one of the few times we’ve heard about the Eastern Division Strike Team. Talk to us about this unit.”
Douglas Hyde
“In terms of the recent crime situation the Eastern Division has developed strike teams in all the precincts and the strike teams specifically look at quick responses when it comes to crime.”
Hyde wouldn’t tell us much more about the composition of the strike team, only saying that they have selected highly trained officers from across the units and precincts.
