Are Hilux Bandits Expanding Criminal Operation outside of Cayo?

ASP Fitzroy Yearwood

For some time now, the Belize Police Department has been monitoring this illegal activity and in some cases, like this incident, they have been able to intercept the perpetrators before they escaped with the stolen vehicle into neighbouring Guatemala. These thefts, however, have been happening in the west and as far east as Belmopan. With this most recent incident in Hattieville, today Communications Director Fitzroy Yearwood was asked whether the ring of bandits is expanding its criminal operation.

ASP Fitzroy Yearwood, Communications Director, Belize Police Department

“We know that there is a demand for that kind of vehicle in Guatemala. And whether or not he was unfortunate or whether the orchestrators of that crime are from Belize District itself is what investigators are trying to put together. We wouldn’t want to put the general public into no high state of panic. But at the same time, if you are the owner of these vehicles, we want you to be very alert and of paramount importance is your safety. We are asking the general public to be on high alert – not only the owners of hilux. But at the end of the day, if we have a vehicle stealing ring, we don’t know what type of vehicle they are after, but we are just asking to be on high alert – the public.”