Teenager Shot and Killed During Home Invasion in Pomona

Thomas Polanco

A teenager was shot and killed this morning on a farm in the Stann Creek District during a daring armed robbery.  The incident occurred sometime before eleven o’clock, when a trio of masked men entered a property in the Pomona Valley belonging to Thomas Polanco.  The thieves then proceeded to tie up his employees before ransacking the premises and stealing his licensed firearm.  The ensuing ruckus drew the attention of fifteen-year-old Tarique Polanco who emerged to find the men rifling through their belongings.  It was then that one of the robbers turned the stolen weapon on the youth and fired a single shot, mortally wounding him.  The men then made good their escape by fleeing into hills behind the farm.  We spoke with Thomas Polanco by phone this afternoon and he shared with us what he knows about the harrowing ordeal.

On the Phone: Thomas Polanco, Grandfather of Deceased

“At exactly ten minutes past eleven, I was in Dangriga at the terminal and they told me that they shot my grandson Tarique.  His first name is Brighton Polanco.  So I immediately drove to my house and when I reached I saw the policemen and I saw Tarique lying on the floor and when I, well I couldn’t get into my house because [they were processing the scene.  What they told me was that] there were three robbers, they had masks on their face and they broke into my home and they took my gun and they killed him.”

Isani Cayetano

“Okay.  In terms of the police investigation, how is that coming along?  Have they been in communication with you on the scene?”

On the Phone: Thomas Polanco

“Well I was on the scene with them, and the robbers took off up into my farm and they took my TV and VCR and my money and my bags and my [vehicle] and it look like they left it on the road and they found it.  So the thieves are up the hill and up to now they haven’t sent any police or B.D.F. to see if they can catch them.  But they are right up in the farm.”

Isani Cayetano

“I understand that your grandson may have been resisting this incident, these robbers, when he was shot.  What have you found out so far in terms of that aspect?”

On the Phone: Thomas Polanco

“Well my grandson was coming to the house because he was working not too far from the house and he heard a noise.  So he was coming to see what the noise was and as he drew near, maybe about five feet to the door one of the robbers took the gun and shot him.”

Isani Cayetano

“I understand that another person who is either related to you or was working at the farm at the time was able to escape harm.  Can you talk to us about that?”

On the Phone: Thomas Polanco

“Yeah, he ran.  When he saw the robbers with the gun he ran.  Before that they tied up one of the workers who is a mechanic.  They tied him up and he got loose afterwards and he came into the house to see what they were doing and they tied him up again.”

News Five has made several attempts to get a comment from Dangriga police but all efforts have proven futile.