16 year old arrested with guns and ammo
We don’t know exactly how they knew where to look but police intelligence proved highly accurate Wednesday night, as it led to the discovery of a sizable collection of illegal guns and ammunition. The raid took place at the home of Edward and Lina Penner, Mennonites of Camalote Village. Police were led there by the Penner’s sixteen year old son who police ran into on the way home from Spanish Lookout.
Superintendent of Police, Gerald Bernard said sixteen year old
Ervin Penner did not act surprised when they intercepted him and believes the youth knew exactly why he was being pursued. He eventually confessed.
Gerald Bernard, Superintendent of Police
“Because we threatened him, we tell him, “look, if we should wait here until the whole family show up, that would include, mother, father, and no doubt young brothers and sisters, then the whole family would have to be arrested.” And he said, “why the whole family and they knew nothing about this.” By that time we ask him, “what do you mean, what crossed your mind when you said that they knew nothing about this?” Well it was then his features change of course and he seems to get depressed and he realized then that our intelligence was perfect.”
Penner then led P.C. Rochelle Chan, the arresting officer to a small hut where he had hid the weapons and ammunition.
P.C. Rochelle Chan, Arresting Officer
“Mr. Penner carried me to a small house in the yard where we found the kit bag and in the kit bag there were a variety of weapons, specifically three weapons. There were a Ruger mini 14 rifle caliber, point 223, serial number 18500166. There was also a nine millimeter pistol, serial number 161536 and an eight millimeter pistol, serial number unknown.”
The police also found a number of magazines and quantity of ammunition. According to Bernard, Penner told them that the items were not for him, but that he was holding the weapons for an eighteen year old Costa Rican friend who had returned home but promise to return to Belize.
Gerald Bernard
“Penner said that he got to know a youth from Costa Rica, a youth by the name of Jorge Enoch Melina Alfaro. He said that he was round his same age or little bit older. We confirmed from our investigations of course, that this young boy was indeed in Belize a couple of months ago, but that he had left for Costa Rica for a visit, and they expect him to return to Belize.
He said that Alfaro gave him these weapons, five in all, and all the ammunition and ask him to keep them for safe keeping until his return.
Nevertheless, it is still an offense in this country. Once you have no license, then you should not be in possession of these ammunition and weapons.”
Q: “Do you all believe his story?”
Gerald Bernard
“His story is believable at this point but the investigation will continue.”
As the police continue with their investigation, Bernard said one angle they will definitely pursue is to find out how a sixteen year old boy from Costa Rica managed to get his hands on so many weapons and ammunition and if he brought them to the country, how he managed to slip his package through the border or airport undetected.
According to police, Ervin Penner has no previous history of trouble with the law.
