More guns stolen from police
The incidents of ineptitude have been spread over several administrations. There was the truckload of Guatemalan murderers who drove right past Belmopan on their easy ride to freedom; the heartbreaking failure to crack the case of a serial child killer in Belize City; and numerous well documented cases of police brutality leading in at least one case to a civilian’s death…and who can forget those missing weapons? News 5’s Jose Sanchez is just back from Belmopan with more bad news.
Jose Sanchez, Reporting
First it was the armoury at the National Police Training School, then the exhibit room at the Belmopan police station. Today things got worse as it was announced that the exhibit room for the elite Dragon Unit, also in Belmopan, had been compromised.
P.C. Herman Sosa, Exhibit Keeper
“I arrived here at 9 o’clock, opened my door, realized the place was ransacked, paper was all over the place, lockers were opened, the ceiling was turned. As a result I closed back the door and informed my senior officer, which is A.I.P. August and the Commander of Operations which is Assistant Commissioner Mr. Cain.”
Jose Sanchez
“You work a regular eight to five job was there anyone else that would come in after you and secure the room?”
P.C. Herman Sosa
“No not really. The only person that is in charge here is me and after I leave the place is closed.”
Jose Sanchez
“And among the items missing what were there?”
P.C. Herman Sosa
“A .38 revolver, a .357 and a .380, four rings, small parcels of cocaine and an amount of money.”
It is believed the thieves entered under the eaves and worked their way across the ceiling. The items stolen were carefully selected as there were other high-powered weapons, ammunition and drugs that were left untouched.
P.C. Herman Sosa
“We have some weapons, of course. We have some other weapons which they didn’t take, so we still have other weapons.”
Jose Sanchez
“You did find it strange that they didn’t take the other weapons?”
P.C> Herman Sosa
“Well, I should find it strange, of course anybody would find it strange. It’s the small things that they could be able to take through the ceiling.”
Assistant Commissioner of Police, Jose Zetina says that the suspect they are looking for may have been involved in the other break-ins.
Jose Sanchez
“It’s obvious the person who broke it had some knowledge of the building itself why is that?”
Jose Zetina, Assistant Commissioner of Police
“Well if you’re basing on the person we’re suspecting, it is somebody that has been around for a relatively short time around police headquarters.”
Jose Sanchez
“Was he an employee? A police officer?”
Jose Zetina
“No he’s not a police officer, but a civilian that was temporary employed at police headquarters.”
Jose Sanchez
“Has this person ever been suspected in any criminal act before?”
Jose Zetina
“Well I tell you what, from what we have seen and what we know now, certainly he came as a suspect even in the two burglaries we had at the police training school in Belmopan.”
Jose Sanchez
“How is the prosecution coming along in the other two cases?”
Jose Zetina
“Well to be truthful we are still investigating it. We haven’t closed the cases already because it takes some time to make some arrests, but certainly the cases have not been closed.”
Jose Sanchez
“I’m sure you’ve heard of the break in at the Police Academy and also with the B.D.F. Did you ever think it could have happened to you at your place?”
Herman Sosa
“Well it was something that I thought, but didn’t ever want to happen, but unfortunately it did.”
Reporting for News 5, Jose Sanchez.
And unfortunately, no amount of rousing speeches by Minister of National Security Jorge Espat is going to hide the fact that there is something radically wrong in this nation’s police force. Just for the record, police say the prime suspect in Wednesday’s heist is a plumber.
