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Jun 25, 2009

Red Cross hurricane supplies container burglarized

Story PictureIt is not a typical Robin Hood story where thieves take from the rich to give to the poor; this time thieves took from the Belize Red Cross. This past Tuesday afternoon, Chairperson of the Belmopan’s Branch, Glennis Johnson, made checks on a container on the compound and found out that it had been jacked. Stolen from the container was an assortment of items that were earmarked to be used during this hurricane season. News Five spoke with Director General of the Belize Red Cross, Lily Bowman, who says they believe that the items were stolen over a period of time.

Lily Bowman, Director General, Belize Red Cross
“The pre-positioned container that we had located at the branch was broken into. Unfortunately, we had no indication that that was happening or that it had happened because they broke into it from the top vent on the container which is not easily visible from the ground.”

Duane Moody
“What all was stolen from the container?”

Lily Bowman
“The container was ransacked completely—there were blankets, hygiene kits, kitchen sets and jerry-cans in there totalling to an amount of about one hundred and forty-four thousand dollars and we had estimated somewhere around one hundred and seventeen thousand dollars worth of stuff that had been stolen. We believe that it was stolen during a period of time because June 2008 was the last time we went into that container when we were responding to TS Arthur and since then we didn’t touch it. So we figure it was over a period of time and that they were passing the stuff through the vent because the boxes and the big pots that couldn’t fit were left.”

On Wednesday, two persons were nabbed by police when they were found in possession of some of the stolen items. Nineteen year old Elias Hernandez, and twenty-two year old Baldonero Najera, have both been arrested and charged for theft, handling stolen goods and damage to property. Since the arrest, only three thousand two hundred and sixty-one dollars worth of the merchandise have been recovered.


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