Minors Behind Belize City Home Invasion on Pitter Street

Alejandro Cowo

There were two robberies and a home invasion in less than twenty-four hours in the Old Capital, beginning late on Tuesday night and into Wednesday afternoon. As we’ve reported, armed thieves made off with a cell phone and some jewelry from a couple just before midnight on Tuesday on Pitter Street, Belize City. The couple had just fed their dogs when the thieves pounced on them.  Elias Ramirez had his hands and feet bound and he was gagged while his fifty-eight-year-old wife, Vilma, was stripped of her clothes before the two armed robbers ransacked their home and got away with some of their belongings. One of the thieves had a machete and the other a gun. Today, Assistant Superintendent Alejandro Cowo told the media that culprits are minors well known to the police; one of them is from the same neighborhood. 

ASP Alejandro Cowo, O.C., C.I.B., Belize City

“Miss Vilma Ramirez and her common-law husband were inside of their house at number 110 Pitters Street when two persons just entered their house from their main door, which was opened. They held them at gunpoint and tied them up. As a result, they stole two cell phones, a silver ring and a gold watch. Quick police response to that incident led to the recovery of one of the cell phones and one of the male persons that we believe was inside the house, was captured not far away from the incident. The husband is a taxi driver and the female is a domestic and worked for herself at the residence. I don’t see they have no great anything to show that they have enough; they are just people that are trying to survive.”

Reporter

“Is there any motive why they were selected for this crime?”

ASP Alejandro Cowo

“We believe because of the area; we know that there have been many burglaries and crimes committed within that Pitter Street which is not far from Antelope Street extension. And the other thing is that we have been advising people that when you are at your residence, you have to be careful. For me it is very highly difficult for me to leave my front door open at late hours at night. This is like you are inviting people to come in and do things. We suspect that they were passing the immediate area. One of the guys that was detained is a resident of that area around there. So I believe that they were just taking advantage as to who would be the target and any vulnerable person in the area could have been a target.”