Kidnap plot foiled in San Pedro
A get-rich-quick scheme was turned into a go-to-jail quick scheme for two Honduran youths, as police on Wednesday evening foiled an attempted kidnapping in San Pedro. According to the officer in charge of the town’s police station, Assistant Superintendent Michael Gutierrez, it was an elaborate plan, but one that apparently had some unanticipated glitches. Thirty One year old Gildardo Cardona, the manager of the San Pedro branch of Atlantic Bank, told News Five that he left his office early Wednesday evening and when he reached home he discovered his wife, thirty two year old Rosa, and their maid thirty year old Melba Cruz, tied up and gagged.
Gildardo Cardona, San Pedro Branch Manager, Atlantic Bank
“I set down my bags and some bread on the table and upon turning around I noticed that there was a fellow in the room pointing a gun at me in the other room. I still yet couldn’t believe, or surprised to see a fellow in there and I couldn’t catch on what was occurring. And I told him, what the hell you’re doing in my house. And as I advanced towards him to show him out another fellow jumped me from behind with a knife.”
Q: “So now after the guys had you on the ground I understand they made some demands?”
Gildardo Cardona
“Yes they demanded money. They demanded that I order the money from the bank to be delivered to them.”
Q: “How much money are we talking about here?”
Gildardo Cardona
“At that point I told them I only had three hundred dollars in my pocket. They said no, they want the money from the bank. I told them I don’t keep money, I just came from Belize City, I took my deposit into Belize City. As I only keep a certainly level in cash. So he said how much do you have? I told them I have maybe, maybe I told them, about fifty grand. And he said O.K. you bring me fifty grand. You order, call to your bank and tell them to send fifty thousand dollars.”
Cardona said he explained to his abductors that there was no one at the bank to get the money and was later able to convince them to allow him to go to the bank and get it himself. One of the kidnappers accompanied Cardona, threatening to kill his wife and the maid if he alerted the police. Cardona was allowed to enter the bank while the kidnapper stood watch outside. Not a smart move by any means as once inside the building, Cardona proceeded to call the cops, giving them a full description of the man standing guard outside. Police quickly responded and in a matter of minutes we are told, took the gunman into custody. Cardona then accompanied the police to his home and on their advice convinced the other kidnapper that the money was with his partner in the car outside. As soon as the second kidnapper stepped outside, he too was rewarded with a new set of silver bangles. Cardona says he is thankful for the rapid action by the police and says the family is expected to make a full recovery from the trauma.
Gildardo Cardona
“My wife was a little traumatized for a few moments. I think anyone would. But this morning she woke up in better spirits.”
Q: “Are you now stepping up security for yourself, your family, the bank?”
Gildardo Cardona
“We have the security in place. For my family, yes it will be more on the alert. Definitely they caught me on the blind side and the security is already looked at but I didn’t expect it at home.”
The two kidnappers have been identified as twenty year old Rogel Arturo Rivera and eighteen year old Wilmar Ortiz, and it is believed that the two men have not been living on the island for very long. Cardona says that while he and his family were tied up and gagged, one of the men was heard to say that they had him under surveillance for a while. Rivera and Ortiz were taken into Belize City pending charges while in San Pedro the maid, Melba Cruz, has been detained for questioning as it is believed she was in league with the kidnappers.
