Home invasion in Burrell Boom
While the Hattieville home invasion turned fatal for a resident, a family not far away in Burrell Boom experienced a similar ordeal but was fortunate to survive. After one Saturday morning, a sixty-two year old Burrell Boom resident woke up to his home under siege and his wife and kids in danger. The businessman requested to have his name and face withheld on camera when he related the experience which is becoming too common in the Belize District. Swift police work in this latest home invasion has led to the detention of four individuals.
Corporal Jorge Lemus, Ladyville Police
“The complainant stated that three armed masked men entered his house and attacked him. Stolen were an undisclosed amount of money and a twelve gauge shotgun. Upon leaving the area, one of the masked men fired a shot into the window of the house causing some damages. No one was injured and they made good their escape.”
Voice of: Victim of Home Invasion
“We were invaded by some men—I use the term loosely—with guns in the middle of the night. But I don’t want to go through the details. That’s not important I don’t think.”
Jose Sanchez
“But what happened was that your family was traumatized.”
Voice of: Victim of Home Invasion
“Yeah, I have a ten year old stepson. I don’t understand what is in peoples hearts that you can put a gun to a ten year olds head and tie a ten year old up while you’re traumatizing the family in the middle of the night. I don’t understand what’s gotten into people’s hearts.”
Jose Sanchez
“I know it may not sound like much, but what is it that they wanted? What did they take from your house to make them put you through that experience?”
Voice of: Victim of Home Invasion
“Money, it’s the evilness that’s happening everywhere right now, but especially here. But, as the commercial says, times are tough. You don’t have to be an economist to know that times are tough. And times are tough, they are tough fi all ah we.”
Cpl Jorge Lemus
“Acting on information in Belize City, quick response police apprehended some suspects and have recovered the shotgun from them.”
Jose Sanchez
“So you have made arrests?”
Cpl. Jorge Lemus
“We have made a detention. Arrests will follow as soon as the investigation progress.”
Voice of: Victim of Home Invasion
“I praise the police for this. I think the police did an excellent job. I think they did a bang up job. Superintendent Brackett and our local police Corporal Martinez, Corporal Pot, Commissioner Henderson, all of those men did a wonderful job on this and I hope that the judicial system will follow it up.”
Jose Sanchez
“Home invasions are becoming the norm, how is your family recuperating?”
Voice of: Victim of Home Invasion
“My opinion is that they never will. I think that when something like this happens, it takes a part of you and I think it’s a part that never comes back. I don’t know how my ten year old son is going to recover from this. I just don’t.”
Over five thousand dollars worth of items including cash and household items are still missing. Police have detained Herbert Velasquez and Alejandro Reyes of Iguana Street, along with Cecil Madrid of King Street for Aggravated Burglary and Handling Stolen Goods for the twelve gauge shotgun that belonged to the victim. Delwa Hinds of Iguana Street, Rosemarie Reyes and her fourteen year old brother were also held for Handling Stolen Goods.
