American Shoplifters Busted in San Pedro for Immigration Offense

A trio of American visitors was busted in San Pedro earlier today under suspicion that they were shoplifting from a store on the island.  The matter quickly turned into an immigration investigation, before it was later discovered that one of them was the alleged mastermind behind the theft of a million-dollar catamaran stolen from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  Twenty-six-year-old Elexa Taylor Chism, a bartender of Austin, Texas, twenty-nine-year-old Karim Osman, a bar owner, and forty-five-year-old David Blake Pendergrast, were arraigned before in the magistrate’s court here in Belize City for failing to produce visitors permits upon the request of an immigration officer.  They appeared unrepresented before the lower court where they pleaded guilty.  They were each fined one thousand dollars for the offense which they were ordered to pay immediately.  A removal order was also granted for their expulsion from the country.  That order, however, is set for November twenty-fourth.  During an interview with immigration officials, the visitors claimed that they did not know that they had to check in upon arrival in Belize.  When further checks were made, it was later revealed that David Pendergrast is wanted in the United States for the theft of the catamaran which was last seen in the Bahamas.