Asian Family Held Hostage by Trio of Armed Robbers on Mahogany Street
An armed robbery turned into a dangerous hostage situation on Sunday night. Three armed thieves broke into a store on Mahogany Street in Belize City. Seven Days Shop is located on the lower flat of the building and the owners live on the upper flat. Just as they were closing down business on Sunday night, a trio of robbers forced themselves into the supermarket. They duct-taped the Liang husband and wife, but kept their sixteen-year old daughter hostage. Police sprung into action and secured the release of the three family members as well as the surrender of the trio of thieves. News Five’s Isani Cayetano was on the scene as it unfolded.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
The emotional shock of being held hostage by a trio of armed robbers is a traumatic experience that will remain etched in the minds of an Asian family. On Sunday night, sometime around nine o’clock, a husband and wife, as well as their teenage daughter, came under attack. The proprietors of 7 Days Shop were inside and had just shuttered their place of business when they were pounced upon by three individuals who demanded money.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“Police received information of a burglary in progress at 7 Days grocery store on Mahogany Street. That report sprung the police into action and we quickly went to surround the establishment, as we were told that the suspects, as well as the proprietors of the establishment were inside and more than likely the proprietors were being held hostage by the suspects.”
It is believed that the thieves gained entry by forcing their way through a gate at the front of the building that faces the street. Once inside, the men physically assaulted the couple, before duct taping their mouths. Outside, a team of responding officers secured the perimeter and radioed for backup.
Chester Williams
“I personally went on the scene as well to be able to coordinate the police response and about ten minutes of being there we saw the two proprietors, Mr. and Mrs. Liang, rushing out of the building. They were injured and bleeding and had duct tape on their mouths. They were pulled to safety, at which time they told us that their sixteen-year-old daughter was still inside the building.”
Barricaded on the second floor of the concrete edifice were three young men, all of whom are residents of Lake Independence. According to eyewitnesses, they were observed in the vicinity earlier that evening, presumably scouting the area.
Chester Williams
“The building was locked and so I directed the Gang Suppression Unit to get the breaching equipment so that we can breach the door and go in. While we were standing on the street in front of the building, I saw a male person went to the verandah of the building, the upper flat of the building, pointed a firearm in our direction and fired two shots. Thankfully, neither of us were caught. We ran and we took cover behind a nearby house, as well as our vehicles that were parked in the area. The standoff continued for about another two hours.”
Despite being fired upon, the officers, who had by then surrounded the property, acted with great restraint knowing that a captive was still inside the building. A throng of onlookers stood by, carefully observing what was taking place under the flashing lights of the many patrol vehicles. Commissioner of Police Chester Williams initiated the negotiation.
Chester Williams
“I found out who were the burglars and I made a call to one of them and that call led to me having a back and forth with the individual, trying to get him to surrender. The thing is that we had to be very cautious, as the daughter was still in the building and we didn’t want to do anything that would have caused them to injure or kill the little girl. And so, the negotiation lasted for about twenty minutes at which time they all agreed that they were going to surrender. So I directed them to go on the verandah near the burglar bar where we can see each of them and their hands. They did that and after that was done we breached the building and we went in and the three suspects were caught; namely, Richard O’Neil, Steven Bernard and Wayne Welch.”
The bandits were immediately rounded up and are now facing a slew of criminal charges. The teenager was successfully released in one piece.
Chester Williams
“They were taken into custody and the little girl was also found inside the building unharmed. A search of the building verandah, we found a bag of money amounting to six hundred and seventy dollars, thereabout. This morning we went back as we couldn’t find the weapon last night, so we went back again this morning and we managed to find one Glock nine millimeter pistol. So we have the suspects, we have the money, we have the firearm. The child was unharmed and so I believe that the work that we did was commendable and I want to thank my officers who were out there with me who were extremely brave to approach the situation, putting their lives at risk in a view to try and save the child and to apprehend the culprits. Those persons should be charged either today or tomorrow. Mr. and Mrs. Liang are currently at the K.H.M.H., admitted in a stable condition as they received severe injuries to the face. So that investigation continues.”
The standoff between robbers and police during which an innocent person is held hostage is a rare occurrence. To many who witnessed the ordeal as it unfolded, the successful outcome, notwithstanding shots being fired, was a first. Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.
