One dead, 1 caught, 2 loose in bank heist

The Social Security scandal stayed hot today, as the unions pointed fingers, and the S.S.B.’s General Manager bobbed and weaved. But long after the financial foibles, real and imagined, have been forgotten, the problem of violent crime will remain with us. And that’s where we begin tonight…with a bank robbery in the Stann Creek District that has left one man dead and two bad guys on the loose.

Jacqueline Woods, Reporting

The bullet holes in the walls and guardrail tell you just how dramatic the midday hold-up was at the Pomona branch at the Alliance Bank of Belize.

Justo Augustine,O.C. Dangriga Police Station

“Some time after eleven this morning three armed, masked, Spanish descent, male persons, robbed the Alliance Bank Pomona branch for an undetermined sum of money.”

The robbers, enriched with two bags full of money tried to get away in this small taxi, but they did not get very far.

Justo Augustine

“What happened is that quick police actions along with personnel from the CCB and Security from the bank pursued that the fellows went into Coastal Road, where they were able to apprehend one of the suspects and recovered the money that was stolen.”

The man arrested is described only as a Hispanic person from Belize City. Meanwhile it is not known what role the cab driver, Carlos Quintero, a Salvadoran, of Sarawee Village, played in the heist, but his body was found in his vehicle on the Coastal Road two miles from the Valley junction. Reports are that both his hands were tied.

Justo Augustine

“We cannot say at this time what role he played in this entire incident, but his body was found inside the vehicle.”

Police believe the two bank robbers, both described as being of Hispanic descent are armed and dangerous and are still believed to be hiding out in the area. Jacqueline Woods reporting for News Five.

None of the bank employees were injured during the hold-up and reports are that there were no customers inside the bank at the time of the incident.