Video records robbery at Doony’s

The murder and shooting were followed by an armed hold up on Albert Street. The thieves in downtown Belize City were brazen enough to carry out their deeds just before the busy lunch hour. Doony’s was the target once more.  While the three culprits could not put their hands on any cash, they did rob a gun and a cell phone from two employees of the store.  News Five got a video clipping of the minute and a half hold up.  While they have no one detained as yet, Police Press Officer, Sergeant Fitzroy Yearwood says there are steps that the Department is taking to put a lid on the out-of-control jacking at business establishments.

Sergeant Fitzroy Yearwood, Press Officer, Police Department

“These were not your regular criminals, the assailants were well dressed.  In fact three of them had their shirts tucked in. They would pass as people with regular jobs.  But you could know that they were prepared because they had on head dress, caps so that the cameras above and the caps provide a peak so you can’t really see the face.  We tend to class criminals as being bad dressers and I could remember a criminal who used to carry pens in his pocket like a police officer, so when you’re hiring your security you need to know what kind of security you’re hiring.”

Marion Ali

“How do you detect that kind of a person though, the difference between a criminal and a legitimate customer?”

Sgt. Fitzroy Yearwood

“A security conscious person would look, to be carrying a firearm you must have that hidden somewhere that would show some sort of bulge around the waist or where could you hide a gun that wouldn’t show a bulge and your shirt is tucked in? We do have permanent beat officers for Albert Street, Orange Street and we have business watches on stream, we have motorcycle patrols.  But the criminals study everything, including the patrols. They would study when the police go on break. If you really want to commit a crime, you really want to rob somewhere, you will come with a plan. At the same time we are trying to defeat their plans and we create the deterrent. Our plan is for an officer to be posted at the corner of Prince and Albert Street and we are putting more of that in place.  You will see frequent more motorcycle, bicycle and foot patrols.  The police vehicle will be in the area more frequently, especially the business area.  That has been put in place as effective as the change of shift this evening.”

But while the police may be tightening up on the street crooks, the owner of Doony’s Store, Sarika Sadarangani, was still pretty much shaken up today by the armed holdup.

Sarika Sadarangani, proprietor, Doony’s Store

“Three people came on bikes and parked their bikes outside, they were well dressed, they walked into my store, they looked around, and then they pushed my security guard on the floor.  One held him at gunpoint while the other two went straight by the cashier. However, my cashier was not at her desk so there were not any keys for them to get any access to the cash drawer and so they hurt my other messenger that was standing over there.  He tried fighting them and they hit him with a gun in the head.”

Marion Ali

They also stole his weapon I understand?

Sarika Sadarangani

“No they stole the weapon from my security guard. It was three of them that walked in. Two of them went to cash drawer and one of them held the security at gun point and they threw him on the floor and they stole his gun.  In the past few weeks there have been seven robberies where seven holdups for Indian businesses. I even heard that Beauty Plaza was held up so I think it’s becoming a habit now and I think there is just not enough security and I think the police is just not taking this—when I say security I mean police—as much as they want or pretend to be taking it seriously, it’s not being taken seriously.”

According to Police Press Officer, Fitzroy Yearwood, the increased police presence will be notable in the downtown business community as of tonight.  Meanwhile, Sadarangani says she will take added measures to ensure a safer working environment.