A Dangriga Fugitive is Recaptured in Lakeland

Lawrence Bernardez

On December second a man considered a dangerous criminal escaped from Police custody while he and two others were being transported to the Belize Central Prison from Dangriga. According to reports, twenty-seven year old Dangriga resident Lawrence Bernardez made his escape when the police pickup slowed down for a speed bump in Hattieville. Bernardez apparently wanted to spend Christmas in his hometown, because that’s where police caught up to him on Wednesday. According to reports, acting on information received police conducted an operation in the Rivas Estate Area of Dangriga and found Bernardez with a sawed off shotgun and a knife. Apparently he wasn’t willing to come peacefully, because police claim that to subdue him they had to shoot him in both legs and in the palm of his hand. So instead of spending Christmas at home, Bernardez is spending it in the K.H.M.H. under armed guard, recovering while awaiting new charges for escape and resisting arrest.