TV reporter mugged, suspect caught by police
A well-known journalist has been held up at gunpoint and robbed of her jewelry. Dawn Sampson, a television reporter for Channel Seven, was walking with her sister-in-law and brother down Central American Boulevard on Boxing Day evening when they were approached by twenty year old Steven Terry and a man known only to police as “Bassam”. Sampson says as they neared Deals On Wheels, Terry first snatched a chain and medal from her sister-in-law, then as all three tried to run away, he pulled a gun on them. It is then that Sampson’s watch, chain and bracelet were also taken away. She says they quickly called 911 and police responded. But as C.I.B.’s Simeon Alvarez explains, the young man may have also had a busy schedule of crime arranged for that day.
A.I.P. Simeon Alvarez, Head of C.I.B.
“Shortly after that another report from one Erwin Jones that he was along with a friend, walking along Central American Boulevard when he was held up by one Steven Terry. As a result of these reports, the police responded to the first report made by Sampson and she was in the company of the police when she spotted the suspect on St. Jude Street. And the police in trying to pursue the culprit, he apparently pulled out a handgun and pointed it at the police when it snapped twice. And the guy managed to escape but, however, later that same night he was apprehended and now he is in police custody.
What we are trying to do right now because of these particular incidences, we had before this, we had several incidences where people were robbed and their Nike tennis were taken off, their jewelry, watch… in that same vicinity. So I believe Terry will face more charges other than these two incidents because as a matter of fact, he will be charged with two counts of robbery committed upon Dawn Sampson and her sister-in-law and he will be charged for the robbery committed upon Erwin Jones and his friend who was with him at the time. He has at least four counts of robbery at this time including some aggravated assaults.”
Terry, who received several stitches to his forehead, claims the police beat him up after he was apprehended. Alvarez says although he has not had the chance to interview the arresting officer, he believes the police were justified in their actions. Alvarez says when the police approached Terry, he still had on him jewelry belonging to Sampson and Jones and not wanting the police to catch him with the evidence in hand, he struggled with them. It is not the first time Terry, who lives at seventy-seven Mayflower Street in Belize City, has been in trouble with the law and the police are hoping that when he makes his appearance in the Quick Trial Court on Tuesday morning, he will be sent to jail for at least six years.
