3 More Arrested and Charged in Burrell Boom Home Invasion Saga

There have been more arrests and charges laid in the high-profile and very brutal home invasion on December third in Burrell Boom. At around seven that night, eight men stormed the home of Lebanese Consul Sarkis Abou-Nehra. Abou-Nehra and his wife were out of the country, but the men viciously beat the caretaker, raped his wife and then left at three that morning after ransacking the house and stealing everything of value. To date six men have been remanded on charges of Aggravated Burglary, Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Burglary, Conspiracy to Commit Rape, Handling Stolen Goods and Theft. Additionally, one of those men, the very high profile Tyrone Meighan was charged for rape after an ID parade was conducted. At the same time three women were also charged for handling stolen goods. But that’s not the end of it. Mike Rudon was at the Ladyville Police Station this morning and has an update.

Mike Rudon, Reporting

Police have not let up on the investigation into a particularly violent home invasion which occurred in a relatively remote area of Burrell Boom. As a result, searches were conducted on four houses in Belize City which resulted in three more arrests and the discovery of other items stolen from the home.

Edward Broaster

Sr. Supt. Edward Broaster, Commander, Eastern Division Rural

“As a result of those searches we have charged Jerry Buller, twenty years for Abetment to Commit Aggravated Burglary. We have also charged Mark Pitts, eighteen years, for Handling Stolen Goods and we’ve also charged Paul Jex for Handling Stolen Goods. Now yesterday late we had some other developments where we recovered some more stolen items from the premises, and other charges will be laid on some other individuals sometime in the day today. We have recovered an assortment of liquor, we recovered two rings that were identified by the Consul’s wife, a necklace.”

But perhaps the most significant recovery was that of a DV-R database containing surveillance footage from that night. It had been removed and stolen by the burglars as they left the premises.

Sr. Supt. Edward Broaster

“It is in good shape. It is assisting us tremendously. It has the footage of the burglary when it transpired.  As a matter of fact the burglars thought that they disconnected the DV-R and realized it was not the DV-R they had in their possession, and then they went and they disconnected the DV-R and they stole it. Nevertheless we recovered it. It is in good shape. We have already retrieved the footage off it.”

The brutal nature of the rape, assault and burglary, as well as its high profile has resulted in the department pulling out all the stops. More arrests are expected very soon based on information which keeps coming into Police, as well as continued collaboration between various units.

Sr. Supt. Edward Broaster

“The investigation is really fluid. We have been getting tremendous leads form the public as well as the brilliant work of our investigators and our Police Officers who have been coordinating and working excellently with each other. We have been getting support from the Gang Suppression Unit as well as the Mobile Interdiction Team, the Anti-Drug Unit as well as the K-9. I was surprised when the K-9 hit on a bag which did not contain firearms or drugs but contained the jewellery which was recovered. That was excellent work by the K-9.”

Police have also seized a black Acura which was used in the commission of the violent crime. Six firearms stolen by the perpetrators have not been recovered, but the Police are confident it is only a matter of time before they are taken off the streets. Mike Rudon for News Five.

Police believe that the particular home in Burrell Boom was targeted because of its remote location and the potential of an easy but sizable haul.