Arrests made on Dangriga robberies
Almost one week after a man entered a home in Dangriga and robbed a woman of all her jewelry, police have made an arrest. Joseph Castillo, Delmar Wright and a minor have all been charged with robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery. Police say that last Friday Yolanda Guerrero reported to them that around eleven-thirty that night, a masked man armed with a gun entered her home and demanded she hand over her jewelry. Guerrero told police that she gave the assailant two gold chains, two gold bracelets, one gold ring, one silver ring and watch, valued at nine hundred and thirty-five dollars. Castillo, Wright and the minor were remanded to Hattieville and are to reappear in court on January Third. Meanwhile, Dangriga police have made another arrest in connection with a robbery that took place at Savery’s Grocery Store. In that incident, which happened on November twenty fifth, two men entered the building and stole eight hundred dollars in cash. The suspects have been identified as Byron Guzman and a fifteen year old. Both were charged with robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery.
In other crime news we have received police reports of a robbery in Belmopan, burglaries in Upper Barton Creek and Santa Elena in the Cayo District, and two related shooting incidents, which occurred in the early morning hours of Monday in Belize City. None of the reports contain news less than three days old. For the most part Belizean media houses rely on daily releases issued by the Police Department. Since the departure of police press officer Christy Castillo in August, however, the public information system has largely broken down. A part-time officer has been holding over, but his other duties prevent him from doing an adequate job. To make matters worse, local police stations are under orders not to deal with the press directly and instead refer most inquiries to the press officer. The result is that the press and public do not learn of crimes taking place in the community…and that’s probably a good thing in the eyes of the police high command as well as the Ministry of National Security. What other explanation could there be for the ministry’s failure to recruit a suitable candidate almost six months after receiving the resignation of the previous officer? Potential applicants for the job, which pays more than what most journalist are making in the private sector, are urged to call Allan Usher at the Ministry of National Security. At the same time, citizens who hear of crimes are asked to please call News 5 at 73146, so we may inform the community of what’s happening out there.
