Six years in jail for theft of 23 empty bottles
Eli Kerr
A man who was caught stealing twenty-three empty bottles worth eleven dollars and fifty cents, will be spending a long time behind bars. Fifty-two year old Eli Kerr today pleaded guilty to burglary and damage to property before Chief Magistrate Margaret McKenzie. Kerr entered the warehouse of the Chateau Caribbean, stole the bottles and in the process damaged a wooden wall and a PVC pipe this past Tuesday. Because he has two previous convictions, the Chief Magistrate today imposed a five year sentence for Burglary and eighteen months for Damage to Property. That means Kerr will be spending six years and a half for stealing the empty bottles. In mitigation, Kerr had little to say except that the building he entered was a small old house and all he wanted was some empty bottles.
At least the poor guy will have meals everyday and a place to sleep. He obviously needs help!!!
I don’t know what his 2 prior convictions were for. But 6 1/2 yr seems a ridiculous amt of time for these crimes. That’s a long time for the taxpayers to house a person who stole some empty bottles. And with the economy in Belize, people having to sell anything, including empties, is sad.
Belize law is full of bulls..t for stolen bottlessix years and murder you walk free,it pays to be a murder than a thief .
Okay, he got two previous convictions for the same offence. Things are that bad in Belize or this dude is just a cleptomania? Now tax payers money will have to take care of this man for six years. The justice system needs to change the way they punish people for non violent crimes like this. A lot of things need to be done in Belize, like cleaning the streets, infrastructure and I can go on get the point? Impose community labour on these people with supervision and let them give back to the community that way to pay off their debts. This way less people in jail and less money spent on labour for work in the community. This is why so many countries are wealthier than us, we dont use our assets the right way.
They should have given him six and a half years instead of six. I am sick and tired of these lazy b…….. trying to steal things that does not belong to them.
its so funny how no one has commented about all the conviction of burglary 3,6 ,2 or more yrs in jail but yet almost all arrained for murder walk free wow ..use the same effort to covict teft on the murderers PLEASE…..!!!!!
and someone who takes a life that is priceless gets charges thrown out!!!!
This a shame this man was trying to get money to buy a meal. But you Dean Barrow and his people folks let go every one who kill people. All his in laws a friends.
Remember nothing last forever. What are you doing to the Country
Shouldn’t this guy get some type of psychiatric/Spiritual counseling? I keep reading about the drug dealers and murderers being set free in Belize. Meanwhile, some foolish kid is going to jail for smoking pot. To make matters worse the citizens are angered and burdened by corrupt politicians and wayward policemen. This is no way to encourage investment in such a tiny but great nation. PLEEZE BELIZIANS, UNITE (peacefully and lawfully) AGAINST THE FEW!
Mayor S. Moya stole how how much like a Million and she no went to jail cause she had lawyers and attorney ans so on cant you all see whats happen in here Politions dont thief they barrow but poor people thief. Y no just put the guy on a rehab program and let him make some thing of his life o at lease wats lef come on its not fair only poor people go to jail wat about the big time thief them is the some think crooks
to me instead of 6yrs with the taxpayers money being spent, they should have given him that in period in community service to make him work and earn at least his food instead of spending taxpayers money for the rediculous charges when criminals walk free. this is the type of rediculous things that the law is doing that causes anger in the country and this might sometime later turn into something or either revolution in certain areas of our country. Please law authority and justice system do what is right and stop doing these stupidities we are getting tired of your bull$#!T.
justice no seem equal to everyone! I dont condone crime but I guess the man is not related to any minister or lawyer in Belize.
I guess if we want justice for our murdered love ones all we have to do is day they stole something too because it seems that murderers walk freen thiefs gets thrown the book at them, ONLY IN BELIZE!
I guess if we want justice for our murdered love ones all we have to do is say they stole something too because it seems that murderers walk free and thieves gets the book thrown at them, ONLY IN BELIZE!
THE PRISON SYSTEM IN BELIZE IS DESIGN TO HOLD ONLY PETTY THIEVES WEED SMOKERS AND ANYONE THAT HAVE COMMITTED PETTY CRIMES AND CANNOT AFFORD ANTTORNEY.
What is up with the “Only in Belize” thing I keep seeing on this forum? Learn about the affairs of other nations and you’ll realize that we share a lot in common with other developing countries.
For my future, I am planning to open up a shelter for homeless people…I feel so bad for the individual but atleast he is not a burglar..he didn’t harm anyone….
I think the prison will be good for him…there he will have three meals a day!!!
Yes, he is a burglar. His two previous convictions were for burglary.
Its a damm shame this man is being thrown in jail for 6 yrs for 23 empty pint bottles, but then again we’re in Belize, everything works BACKWARDS.
He is a repeat offender! You house could’ve been next!
I am fully aware that other countries also have problems with the criminal situation, but i dont live in any other country i live in Belize, and we as a people have to accept when things are wrong and when they are wasting time with petty thieves when they should be putting equal disgust into murderers that walk free down supreme court steps every single day. Belize is too small to be plague by so much crimes but the problem stems down from our leaders, mayors, prime ministers, ministers that take the belizean people money and waste it on building houses and luxuries that ordinary people can just dream about how do u think it will stop when we see the leaders that are suppose to set the example get away with these stuff. In Belize if ur poor and cant pay your way out of a situation with fancy lawyers you get stuck with 5 years behind jail, what a shame am a Belizean and we shouldnt be ashamed to say when our countries is going backwards.
All the money that Dean and entourage spent on going to miami to galavant should have been given to this man… Damn shame dem driving fancy car and driving all on weekends and while his people don’t know where the next meal will come from…. Take some advise from the French Prime Minister DEAN MEAN BARROW…>>>>
No way our justice system fair in Belize – 6 years for 23 stolen bottles and 1 year for carnal knowledge???????
its funny how this man gets 6 years but if a petroleum company violates the Petroleum Act, if you manage to get a conviction at the Magistrates court all the law require is for the person to pay $5,000.00 fine or get up to 2 years in prison and if it is a corporation they may pay $10,000.00 fine… the disparity is too much
I am a US buisnessman and was going to invest millions into Belize – but if this is the way you treat your own pepole you can stick it – a disgrace !!
totally agree with earl gray, atleast he will have meals for the day while at jail. i wondered y belize stand so bad. Now i know y, indeed justice is to be served for any crime committed but mein just for some empty bottles he needed maybe so that he could sell them and afford to buy food, but he gets sent to prison…wow and what about the murderers?? what with them…most are not pinished as how they should…..
Jaz ….. With 15-17% UNEMPLOYMENT in the USA, it’s best you keep your money. Your own country can use it!!!!!!!
HOW MUCH does it cost to house and feed a PRISONER for 1YEAR????????
yeah Earl Grey let Jaz know that his country need it, but it’s a shame the same time to give this man such a terrible sentence for empty bottles. Nevetheless, I love Belize and there is still much good in the jewel. If we stand together as a people and do not play politics for any one party because they are all the same crooks PUP and UDP alike
FYI It cost Belizean tax payers little over $5000 a year to feed an inmate at the central prison.
Its seems the justice system is surely working since they can secure a conviction on a person for stealing 23 empty pint bottles but how is it that they can’t seem to be able to convict any of the criminals committing murder….hmmmmm strange isn’t it? The justice system is only there to accomodate and to protect the rights and privilages of the criminals……..victims are being ignored out right.
I am not one to condone violence, but i believe that this punishment is rather harsh; too harsh. Yes once you do the crime you spend the time but 6 years……..NO MAN DAT TOO MUCH. Some people that get charge for murder don’t get such a long time.
The laws of the country are not designed to give compassion to the quantity that was stolen (Burglarized). Under our laws burglary is defined as “When a person enters a building or a part of a building as a trespasser with the intent to steal anything therein” and it continues on to say other elements of the crime. The law was also designed to say that the minimum custodial sentence for that type of crime is 5 yrs. It is out of the magistrates jurisdiction to go against the law and give a lower sentence other that what is prescribed by law. We need to blame the ones that made the law. Unlike the people that are walking out of the courts free each day, he pleaded guilty to the crime. the magistrate can only enforce what is written in the laws. Despite he or she might feel compassionate.
As I’ve said time and time before the prison system is not set up for High-Powered Criminals so giving this poor man that amount of time is just trying to show that they do give prison sentence .Take for example the young man who got some years for killing his uncle, he’s a low risk inmate, if that same young man was a gang banger thug on the street he would have walked away free. The prison in Belize is not equipped with the proper Man-Power to house hard core criminals.
Hmmm Seems like a very useless charge wonder what he would have gotten if he stole 22 bottles instead. I think the system is crap haven’t lived in belize since i was 14 years old but damn to read stuff like this makes me sick of the country i came from “where is the real Justice”. Think crime has reached a all time high due to lack of order in the Judicial Sytem and also lack of Care in general for such a great country it never seemed it was ever about the people of the country but for the money Goverment makes as well as Lawmakers and So called Mayor’s or men in power. It’s hard to find anuone these days who actually work to help others before themselves it’s inhumane the way we treat each other as if life is not a Gift from god but just a everyday tool. Crminals are Criminals nothing changes that a person who steals duhhhh will do it again but the harshness of the penalty is more severe than someone who commited a more serios crime btw i stole 200 bottles today so sue me lol Failure of A System.
HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A GANG-MEMBER….. He’d be free now.
‘WHAT ! its a pitty how the justice system works,he stole 23 empty bottles and mayor zenaida moya flowers stole thousands of tax payers money which she hasn’t returned to the Belizean people,she was ordered to return the cash[From which she built her mansion with that tax payers money]AND SHE HASN’T- AND SHE IS FREE……..HAS ANY ONE KNOWS how many nolleli prosequis’ were there for 2009? BECAUSE FOR 2008 THERE WERE 85.AND HOW MANY FOR 2010? LOL its sad what is occuring in pur country of Belize.I bet if the man had money he would have been set free by now.”like always ‘money talks bs walks”.