Belize Bank held up in Belize City

There was a time when bank robberies were things we watched happen in movies… but today, more than twenty Belizeans watched it happen right in front of their eyes. In broad daylight, a well planned attack was executed at the Belize Bank at mile one and a half on the Northern Highway. And although no one was hurt during the hold-up, the staff and customers were badly shaken. Jacqueline Woods reports.

Jacqueline Woods, Reporting

In their haste to get away the bank robbers left behind a trail of five dollar bank notes on the grassy ground behind the Belize Bank building. It has still not been determined how much money the men managed to get, but authorities strongly suspect it was a sizeable amount. The suspects, described as a couple of mask armed men, ran into the building and held up the bank security guard and then demanded money from the bank tellers.

G. Michael Reid, Police Press Officer

“Two persons entered the bank wearing masked and armed, one with a shotgun, one with a short firearm. They held the security guard hostage and proceeded to rob the bank of some money. At this point we?re not sure how much money they took. They then exited the bank after the alarm went off.”

The siren scared the robbers off and they ran out the bank’s front door and to the back of the establishment. The men then jumped a fence and got into a small light blue Taurus car that was waiting for them in an alley to the back of the compound. None of the bank employees and customers was injured. The alarm also alerted many people in the area who saw the robbers getting away, but no one would talk to News 5 because they feared for their lives. The police say the bank’s security camera did capture the robbery in progress, but because the men concealed their identities they are not sure its crucial evidence.

G. Michael Reid

“These guys were masked, so the best we can do is maybe match them to a profile. But at this point the investigation is ongoing and we?re hopeful that we will be able to tie the loose ends together.”

“Certainly we know that they did escape in a small blue car and police are now looking for that car and try to get to the bottom of exactly what occurred.”

It is the second time for this year that a Belize Bank branch has been the target of a hold-up. Jacqueline Woods reporting for News 5.