Robbery ends in shootout with police
On Saturday, Belize City and Ladyville police responding to a robbery in Bermudian Landing soon became involved in a high speed chase that ended in a shootout between the cops and the robbers. According to Assistant Commissioner of Police and Head of the Central and Eastern Divisions, Crispin Jeffries, the police were on their way to the scene when they came upon the suspects in their getaway vehicles.
Assistant Commissioner Crispin Jeffries, O.C., Central/Eastern Divisions
“On their way to that scene, they intercepted a vehicle coming from that direction that turned into the Burrell Boom/Hattieville Road. That vehicle was pursued, later followed along the Sibun Road, which runs through Hattieville and then to the Sibun area. That vehicle ran into a swampy area and police officers say male persons flee the vehicle. None were caught on that occasion. But there were shots being fired by the police and by the vehicle being pursued by the police.”
“At this time we cannot say whether anyone was hit. No police officers were injured… we have been looking at since the time of the incident up until yesterday. I can say to you that since this morning we have taken three persons into custody. Those persons are in the rural area because that is where the incident occurred and the investigating team is out there pursuing that investigation.”
“But we do know that when the encounter took place in the Burrell Boom area, that is when there was the exchange of gunfire. There was the exchange of fire with the victim and the culprits. We understand that in that particular incident one culprit may have been injured by their intended victim; however, we can’t confirm that. That person was seen falling out of a car, but we can’t confirm that. We are still investigating. We have three persons who we suspect were involved in that robbery in custody in the Ladyville area.”
“One three-eighty expended shell was found inside the vehicle…it’s a small car. I don’t have all the details of the car, but it’s a small car. That car is currently at the Hattieville police station. We understand that they attempted to steal the iron chest and they only took it so far and they had to drop it.”
