Brodies hit by thieves; guns and ammo stolen
They advertise it as the biggest and brightest store in Belize… and this weekend it was the scene of one of the nation’s biggest break-ins. The downtown warehouse of James Brodie and Company was hit in the wee hours of Saturday morning and while being robbed is bad enough, what made this crime particularly frightening was the dangerous nature of the items stolen: guns and ammo. Patrick Jones reports.
After busting through the metal shutters at the front of the warehouse, the robber, or robbers proceeded to help themselves to an assortment of electrical appliances, guns and accompanying ammunition.
Billy Musa Jr., Director, Brodies
“So far we know that there has been about forty five to fifty thousand dollars worth of ammunition which accounts for roughly seventy five to a hundred thousand rounds of ammunition and about twenty five to thirty shotguns. They also stole some General Electric microwave ovens and RCA televisions and Black and Decker toaster ovens and RCA portable cassette players, things like that.”
The sheer volume of the loot indicates that the burglary of the James Brodie and Company warehouse on Southern Foreshore in the wee hours of Saturday morning was not the work of a lone thief.
Billy Musa Jr.
“They broke into other areas that were well secured with two, three locks per door and they busted those open and they used some massive bolt cutters we assume because the padlocks are very, very thick and they were stated for proper security usage and they got in.”
And the precision with which the thieves moved about once inside the building does not rule out the possibility that it could have been an inside job.
Billy Musa Jr.
“I believe it was planned yes; it was well organized. As a matter of fact they broke into the maintenance shed and they took out the acetylene tank and they proceed in trying to blowtorch down our entire vault and this type of thing so they probably knew what they were doing and had it planned. I would not want to second guess anyone, I certainly believe that it is more than one person and I would like perhaps maybe the police can probably do a better job in finding out who did this no.”
Musa says the police were alerted of the incident around four thirty on Saturday morning after a K.B.H. Security Company mobile patrol found the security guard tied up. However, the thieves got to the warehouse to do their dirty work, getting away with the hot goods didn’t seem to be a problem at all.
Billy Musa Jr.
“They stole our blue delivery pickup truck and they loaded that I assume with all the goods and they went with that. We managed to locate the truck today as a matter of fact, so the police are doing their investigation. They are continuing their investigation.”
Q: “Where was the truck located?”
Billy Musa Jr.
“We were told it was located near the hangar area where I guess people go swim sometimes, in that area.”
Musa says the company is currently going through its inventory to try and determine the extent of the loss, which he believes will be in the vicinity of a hundred thousand dollars, a loss which the company will have to absorb as their insurance does not cover theft of goods. Patrick Jones for News Five.
According to police reports late this evening, over twenty guns valued at over seventeen thousand dollars were taken in the robbery. These include Marlin brand twenty-two caliber bolt action, magnum and automatic rifles. Also stolen were twelve gauge pump action and single action shotguns as well as some sixteen gauge shotguns.
