Police boost up patrol during celebrations
There was nothing momentous to share, but with the crime rate at a record high, police held a news conference this afternoon to update the public about a series of arrests in connection with various incidents of crime in Belize City over the past few weeks. Police Press Officer, Clement Palacio, along with Deputy Officer in charge at the Crimes Investigations Branch, Hilberto Romero, say the arrests were made with the assistance of the public. Police also disclosed that they have added patrols to the streets for the September celebrations period.
Clement Palacio, Police Press Officer
“We have Aaron Brooks arrested for the attempted murder of Everal Gray that occurred on the fourteenth of August near North Creek. Also, police have arrested Tariq Tzul for the attempted murder of Jean Stuart, which occurred on the twenty-second of June 2008. We also have arrested Ronald Bradley and Abel Arana for the attempted murder of Phillip Lightburn which occurred on the third of August 2008. Eddie Neal has been arrested for robbery and this in reference to a report made by Justin Flowers on the first of September 2008. And we have three Honduran nationals that have been arrested and they will be charged for Possession and Uttering of False Documents. And finally, we have Amir Tzul who has been detained for the robbery at St. John’s Anglican School and police are looking for a sixteen year old suspect, a male minor in connection with that robbery as well that occurred at that school. There have been concerns from the general public in regards to the number of shootings that has occurred and also the increase in robberies around this time of the year; September. Whether or not there are statistical arrests, I think the evidence is gonna clear up in court when we reach there.”
Inspector Hilberto Romero, Deputy O.C., C.I.B.
“Some of the shootings are a result of retaliations, some of them are for robberies; in particular the robbery at St. John’s School. We had the support from members of the public in that area and we have been able to detain one person and we are looking one other person. So we are working thoroughly on these cases so that we can make arrests on them. We have stepped up patrols. We have the September celebrations ongoing at this time and we have extra patrols everyday which patrol the streets and we also ask the public support to pass on whatever information they have if they observe any suspicious persons or they observe any crime being committed, we ask the public to call us. Our mobiles are out there to respond and so we are trying to deal with the extra patrols to deter some of these crimes.”
Police had no update on last week’s breach of the Customs compound and tampering of the container loaded with ten million illegal ephedrine pills that arrived from Europe, but sources tell News Five that authorities are closing in on a suspect and that arrests are imminent.
