42 weapons, including M-16s, stolen from B.D.F.

The mean streets of Belize City may have more to add to its arsenal, which already includes fragment grenades stolen from security forces. A cache of high-powered weapons has been stolen from the Belize Defense Force headquarters at Price Barracks in Ladyville. It’s a huge and brazen heist, in fact one of the biggest at the B.D.F. that totaled forty-two weapons including M-16, M-4 carbines and Beretta brand pistols. Two rooms within the B.D.F.’s weapons storehouse at the original Price Barracks in Ladyville were burglarized sometime last week. The B.D.F. only conducts a weapons check of the particular storehouse once a week so the robbery was detected today. Was it an inside job? That’s what News Five asked the Deputy Commander of the B.D.F. at a press conference late this evening.

Col. Javier Castellanos, Deputy Commander, B.D.F.

Javier Castellanos

“Our initial investigations have revealed that a total of twenty-two M16 A1 rifles which are unserviceable, two M4 commander rifles also unserviceable, eleven nine millimeter berretta pistols which are serviceable and seven M4 carbine rifles which are serviceable. And they are reported missing from the weapons bulk store which gives a total of forty-two weapons being thirty-one of them rifles and eleven pistols. Of these, seven of the rifles are serviceable and eleven pistols are serviceable.”

Jose Sanchez

“The storage facility where the weapons are kept, my understanding is that that is something that is traditionally kept under 24hour guard. Can you please explain how the facility is guarded?”

Col. Javier Castellanos

“The facility lies within one of the sectors which are patrolled—a 24hour vigilance within the sector, but not exactly 24Hours to the facility itself.”

Jose Sanchez

“How was access gained? How long did it take you since your last check that these weapons are gone?”

Col. Javier Castellanos

“It is as a result of a routine check at the facility. The checks; physical check of the facility and its entirety and items inside this facility are conducted officially on a weekly basis.”

Allen Whylie, C.E.O., Ministry of Defense

Allen Whylie

“The visit to the building reveal that two of the locks are missing and the horse and staple was cut and so entry was gained into two of the five rooms. The weapons were kept within those rooms and they were under lock and key with a chain and the chain was also cut and the weapons were removed. So entry was made to the building forcibly; not by use of the key.”

Jose Sanchez

“With the evidence that you’ve explained and provided, are you willing to admit that clearly there has to be some form of collusion from within the compound, through the B.D.F. itself?”

Allen Whylie

“Well it’s difficult for me to say at this preliminary stage. It’s obvious that any soldier, any ex-soldier would know that weapons are stored at that facility. So I cannot say at this point in time that there had to be collusions within the B.D.F.”

Jose Sanchez

“Are the patrols always conducted at the same time?”

Col. Javier Castellanos

“The patrols conducted are staggered; it’s not a routine set format. It is a sector which is patrolled, but is not a particular route they would take in that specific area.”

Jose Sanchez

“So the thieves would have to be someone or some people that know what the patrols would have been to escape with the weapons?”

Col. Javier Castellanos

“May be a possibility.”

To demystify the military jargon, serviceable weapons are weapons that are operable and can be fired; unserviceable weapons according to the deputy commander, cannot fire.