Teakettle couple arrested for beating up accused thief

A husband and wife from Teakettle Village who took the law into their hands after their home was burglarised is tonight facing prosecution. According to Lorenzo Vanegas, around eight on Wednesday morning, his wife Melony Bardalez, returned from an errand only to catch a thief red-handed trying to steal the family’s Christmas ham, apples, a bottle of brandy, cash, and various electronic equipment. There was a confrontation during which Bardalez claims she was attacked and then the intruder left the home. The cops were called in, but by then the thief was long gone. When Vanegas got home from work around noon, he and his wife starting touring the village, looking for the perpetrator. This afternoon, Vanegas told News Five that his wife positively identified another resident of Teakettle: Rudel Medina as the man who was in their house. Vanegas says he and his wife physically detained Medina. But when the couple took their suspect in to the police station in Belmopan, the cops arrested them.

Lorenzo Vanegas
?But my wife tell me that is the same guy weh gone burglarise my house, whop her in the stomach. She actually see him because he never had nothing pan his face. While we were there, I decide I wah do a citizen?s arrest pan di guy, cause by the time I stop my car, the guy just bruk-way and run. So I gone and I grab the guy and I choke ah and bring ah towards my car. While I bring him towards my car, the guy mi kinda di hassle because he no want get in, because I tell ah, I wah ker ah to the police station. He neva want get in. Well, we manage to get the guy in, carry ah dah police station. When we reach the police station, the police detain the guy, but they also detain we too and charge we fi wounding. Which in, the guy get the scrapes and scratches off the same glass that he broke up off the refridge and through the window where he came in and he tell the police that we beat him up and thing like that, but nothing nevah go so.?

G Michael Reid, Police Press Officer
?We do not know the full story, whether the injuries that the guy received were the result of him trying to detain the guy and they guy resisting, or whatever, that has to be proven in court. The fact that the police did arrest Mr. Vanegas and his wife had to do with the injuries received by this individual. It must be noted that the police also arrested the individual for the crime of burglary and assault on Mr. Vanegas? wife. So there is a cross complaint here and the courts will have to decide. But the police has got to do what they have to do and follow the due course, due process.?

?Again too, if this individual had caught the guy in the act, while he was in his house, it would have been a different story; certainly the police would have looked at it differently.?

The family of Rudel Medina maintain to News Five that the accused was at home with them at the time of the burglary and they have the witnesses to prove it. All three, Rudel Medina, Lorenzo Vanegas and Melony Bardalez are due to appear in the Belmopan Magistrate Court tomorrow. G. Michael Reid cautions the public that while their cooperation is vital to community policing efforts, it can be extremely dangerous to try and confront or apprehend a suspect on your own and advises victims to call 9-1-1 or CrimeStoppers at 0-800-922-tips for assistance.