Police collar Cayo crook

Tonight cops in the Cayo District are patting themselves on the back for catching a man who held-up a San Ignacio business this morning. Details of the incident are sketchy but News 5 understands that just after 8:00 this morning two armed bandits walked in to the headquarters of juice maker Big H and demanded money from the two employees on duty. While this was happening, another employee walked in on the scene and when he refused to cough up cash, he was beaten. After confiscating jewelry, personal documents and about three hundred dollars in cash, the assailants tried to make their getaway. But by this time neighbours had gotten wind of what was happening and set off in pursuit. One bad guy took to the bush while another tried to play smart and commandeered a passing car. He told the driver he was running away from an angry crowd who were unjustly harassing him. But the person behind the wheel wasn’t convinced and instead of driving to Santa Elena, pulled up in front of the town’s police station. Realising the end might be near, the robber made a quick exit and stabbed the driver in the arm on the way out of the vehicle. But that’s where his luck ended as police caught up with him as he tried to swim for it in the shallow waters of the Macal River. The suspect has now been identified as twenty-three year old Wilhelm Kelly of Second Street in San Ignacio. In addition to being arraigned for this morning’s robbery and assault, Kelly has also been charged in connection with several other unsolved burglaries he committed. Police are still looking for Kelly’s accomplice. Meanwhile, the man who was beaten at Big H, Manuel Tut, is reported to be in stable condition at the San Ignacio hospital.