Video captures two robberies of Jackie’s Supermarket in the same day

Jackie’s Supermarket on Dolphin Drive in Belize City has been robbed four times in the past two years.  The first robbery occurred on February sixteenth 2009, and an addition to cash, the three thieves stole the computer that stored the video of the robbery.  The owners have recovered from the first two incidents but this past Tuesday; Jackie’s Supermarket was robbed not once, but twice. News Five’s Jose Sanchez has the dramatic images of the robbery captured by the cameras at the supermarket.

Jose Sanchez, Reporting

The first incident occurs about twelve-twenty-five pm on Tuesday afternoon.  Jackie can be seeing giving change to a customer who packs a few items in a bag and then leaves. A man wearing a cap and a striped shirt holding a manila envelope walks in. He fumbles inside his pocket while another man, wearing a hat and carrying a sling bag, walks towards the cooler.  The man in front then pulls out a handgun from the envelope and points it at the shop keepers. He yells at them then slaps a customer in the back of his head while pushing him to the ground. He continues to shout orders while the second assailant makes his way behind the counter and loots the cash.  The brazen robbers take so much time that that they also leisurely empty the pockets of one man. A few seconds later, a customer walks in totally unaware that he is walking past a man who is holding a very visible weapon. The customer opens the cooler, pulls out a bag of water then he is ordered to kneel. He pleads to the gunman who insists he lay on the floor while the other robber makes two sloppy attempts to jump over the counter. Instead of running, they walk out as calmly as when they walked in. The customer and the shop owners are dazed at the end of the encounter.

That was after midday, but after six p.m. it happened again. The video shows the shop at night. Two kids stroll inside and eventually leave; and luckily they left when they did. About two minutes later, a man storms into the shop with a gun and ready to shoot.  His face is covered with his shirt and his cap covers his head. Two more robbers in dark shirts and jeans run in behind him. One springs over the counter. That assailant has a mask over his face but the third robber has a wardrobe malfunction and his face is visible throughout the video. He is an older man with visible grey hairs in his beard.  The first assailant also climbs over the counter to assist the other in the search for cash. The third follows behind them. The young shopkeeper is forced to open the cash register. The robbers pull out a drawer onto the floor and dismantle the cash register.  Like scavengers, they continue to prod around looking for anything of value.  They eventually run out of the shop, the barefoot robber being the last to leave. A very frightened Jackie quickly closes the burglar bars to the store.  The other shop keeper is ready to follow in pursuit, but Jackie cries and pushes him back because his life is worth much more than cash. Jackie’s fright is a painful testimony of how Chinese shopkeepers are victimized on a regular basis. Reporting for News Five, Jose Sanchez.

If anyone recognizes any of the robbers or can give information leading to their arrest, they are asked to call the police department.